Christmas In Hell
by dyk3adellic
Summary: When Lord Voldemort gives an order, no one dares defy him. So when he orders Draco to reform one of the biggest blood traitors, Draco has no choice but to follow through, even if it means risking his heart in the process.
1. Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy set down his copy of _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_, chuckling slightly. The story was so off, so untrue, that he couldn't help but to laugh, especially at the ending. But, as the author had told Voldemort, it wouldn't do to have Muggles know everything about their true history. They might become suspicious. Besides, a Squib had to make money somehow. True, the Dark Lord had considered killing her, but it would be too obvious. So they dealt with the untrue story of Harry Potter who was, in fact, dead.

If Draco was perfectly honest with himself, there was a lot of truth in the books. The essentials were there. The romances were there. But the epilogue was way off. Actually the last few chapters were all way off, although Longbottom was a prime candidate for the position of the next Herbology teacher. But it had not been nineteen years, more like five. The biggest thing wrong with the books was that they never explained the other side's reasoning for hating Muggleborns. No one had ever stopped to ask a Death Eater why they felt the way they did. Had they, the Death Eater in question would likely have made a pot of tea and sat down to explain to them their reasons.

The more Muggleborns kept coming into the Wizarding world, the more Muggles were finding out about the Wizarding world. These excited children couldn't help but leak the news to their little kiddy friends, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to track down everyone they'd told. There were also many kids whose families abandoned them for having powers, and these witches and wizards became bitter. They often tracked down their families later on in life and made theatrical displays for the general public to see, while trying desperately to destroy their family's happiness.

The Death Eater would explain that during the Dark Lord's time at Hogwarts, it had become regular practice for the Ministry of Magic to have to Obliviate twenty Muggles a week, and they were almost all due to Muggleborns in some form or fashion. Of course, if the Muggles weren't so prejudiced, none of this would have had to occur. So it became the Dark Lord's frame of mind that both were highly dangerous to the Wizarding world's way of life. Then the Death Eater would admit that yes, they do enjoy torturing people, but all is fair in love and war. The Death Eater would then have ended the conversation by telling them to take that information and think on it, and they would be sent an owl in a few weeks to see if they wanted to be recruited to the Dark Lord's side. After all, Death Eaters' could be quite reasonable when they wanted to be.

Draco also loved how the book had portrayed him. True, he was an arse to people. However, he did not have a problem killing Dumbledore. In fact, he'd done it quite well, and all the half assed attempts described in the sixth book were completely fictitious. He'd killed Dumbledore on the top of the tower, no problem. The Dark Lord had explained to him that it was essential to winning the war. Take down their symbols of hope one by one, and they would have nothing left to rally around. Therefore, the opposing side would eventually start to eliminate themselves and recede quietly. It had all made sense and still did.

Draco thought the Dark Lord might have a sense of humor after all. He had indeed laughed when he'd read what he was supposed to look like. It was nothing short of slander. He looked exactly the same as he did when he was a teenager: The glory of being immortal. As for the Horocruxes… well… everyone had gotten the number wrong. He had about twenty of them hidden, so losing a few hadn't been so terrible. Potter never stood a chance really.

Draco sighed, stretching luxuriously on his beige futon. He would have to get ready for the auction of the prisoners; he wanted to get his hands on a specific one. Doing so would lead to him getting vital information on the whereabouts of a few resisting and hidden members of the Order of the Phoenix. He still remembered the exchange he'd had with the man about a week ago.

He'd been surveying the prisoners, helping to decide which ones would be fit enough for auctioning off. Most of the females would be, though he didn't want to think about how they would be treated. He knew what would happen to them, and he didn't partake in that sort of activity. It made him sick to his stomach, if he were being perfectly honest.

The stench in the dungeons was getting to him. Women and men alike were lying in their own urine, feces, and vomit. Many of them had no willpower to get up anymore. There was constant screaming all around him. Women were being raped, as were a few of the men. Mothers woke to dead children and cried in despair, begging for death to take them. He'd been walking briskly, attempting to leave as soon as possible, when a bald man had called to him.

"Malfoy! I have information on the Order!" Draco had stopped in his tracks and slowly pivoted. The man clinging to the bars of his cell was almost bald and so dirty that Draco couldn't have know who he was from where he was standing, twelve feet away. Draco slowly approached the bars, trying his best to ignore the man's tattered robes and ungodly stench. As he drew closer, he could note the man's wild brown eyes and saw that a few strands of red hair remained.

"Please, Malfoy, my daughter… I know there is an auction coming up. Buy her… buy her and I will tell you everything you wish to know. I'll give you information now and after. Please," he begged, tears falling down his face.

"Weasley, isn't it?" Draco was confirmed with a furious nod of the man's head. "Why should I take your daughter, aside from the fact that you will give me information? Why not someone else?"

"Please, she's still a virgin. I… I… we've all heard the rumors, that you won't participate in… the… activities that the other men do. She still has some innocence. I don't want that stripped away from her. She's a Pureblood! Oh please! I'm begging you! Don't let them take my baby like that! Don't let them hurt her like that!" Arthur Weasley had slid down into a crouching position and was sobbing freely. In the corner Draco saw his wife and one of their sons, Ron, as well as the Mudblood Granger, and Ginevra Weasley herself who was wearing a vacant expression. All the others were looking at him with begging expressions on their faces.

"Please, Malfoy," Granger spoke up, edging cautiously towards the bars, "there's a condition called Stockholm Syndrome. After a long period of time a person who has been kidnapped or taken hostage grows to care for his or her captor. She would not fight you forever. She might even… come around to… your way of thinking. Please… that's my sister-in-law…." She trailed off, mud all over face, her hair matted worse than ever. Her clothes were threadbare, though Ron had given her his cloak as well, and sat huddled against his mother in just a shirt and pants that could be seen through. There was one cot in the corner, and they somehow all had to fit into it.

Draco considered what they were asking of him for a moment. They had the most vital information against the last resistance. Somehow they had all learned to fight Veritaserum and the information could not be extracted. They also were skilled at hiding their thoughts. If he were to do this and get this information he would be the most valued servant twice over. He would be secured for life. Voldemort was very generous with those who provided the needed intel for him.

On the other hand this was a Weasley, a blood traitor, though not a bad looking one. To bring her into his home… to have to care for her… it wasn't a very good thought. Although admittedly, he would eventually be in need of a wife, and Malfoy's only took virgins. Seeing as there weren't too many of those in stock, this could be a good opportunity for him. He was certain she would clean up well enough. Besides, he could always resell her if he ever felt the need to do so. She would fetch a much better price than he'd paid for her originally once he cleaned her up. This could all work to his benefit well enough.

"Okay, Weasley, you have yourself a deal. So tell me a bit of what you know." Draco stood there for ten minutes as the Weasley rattled on about how certain members of the Order were attempting to bring in back up from the Western hemisphere, as well as overthrow the Statute of Secrecy, although he wouldn't name who they were quite yet. Draco took careful note of everything he said, knowing that this was more than even the Dark Lord had imagined. If they brought back up, then there might be a chance of Voldemort being defeated. The American wizard's were brutal people, after all, and they had many reinforcements. If the Order found a way to contact them…

"This information is good enough to grant your daughter a ticket to my estate. At the auction next week I will purchase her, although I find it ironic that you would throw away everything all of you have ever stood for over one girl." Ginevra didn't stir as Draco spoke, staring at her with curiosity in his eyes. For the first time, the mother spoke.

"It is no less than what I am sure your mother would do for you, if in our position. She is our only daughter and, if she stays here, she will not last through the oncoming winter. There is no way for us to win this war in that short amount of time. I will not sacrifice my child's life for people I barely know, people who abandoned us to be captured. They have lost our allegiance." Mrs. Weasley's gaze was firm and her voice held conviction. It was true, Draco knew, that the Order had felt that sacrificing the four remaining Weasleys would allow them time to escape. They had done it for the 'greater good'.

"Very well," Draco said, speaking softly as he often did when he'd just come out of his thoughts. "I will come to collect her next week. No one will dare outbid the Dark Lord's right hand man. However, if you do not provide the names and last known whereabouts of these people you have mentioned when I come to collect her, then I will hand her over to someone and allow you to watch what they do to her. Is that understood?" They all nodded furiously, and he knew he had insured that he would get the needed information. He would be untouchable after this, after-

Draco got up slowly, shocked out of the memory by the clock chiming. He hurriedly grabbed his black cloak and went to the bathroom to ensure his appearance was impeccable. He had a reputation to uphold after all, even if he was purchasing a filthy blood traitor. When his white-blond hair fell perfectly over his eyes and his cloak was adjusted just right he Apparated to the auction house.

Although it was August, the sky around the red stone building was dreary and bleak, although the mood wasn't. Death Eaters were excited about the auction, happy to get their hands on slaves of their own. Draco calmly made his way through the crowd of men and women all dressed in black, some even wearing their Death Eater masks for the occasion. As soon as he stepped into the auction house he was surprised at the well decorated interior. It spoke of richness, although why he'd be surprised was silly. Anyone wishing to attract Death Eaters would make sure their business was lavish.

Draco took a front row seat as the auction began, and the first person was brought out onto the wooden stage. Draco recognized her as one of the Gryffindor Chasers from when he was at Hogwarts. Katie Bell, the girl he'd "supposedly" given a cursed necklace to through someone else. The thought was laughable at best. Why not just owl the necklace to Dumbledore if he wanted him dead from a gift? She sold for a hundred galleons, as she wasn't an attractive girl and had been taken many times by various men.

Next was Sarah Fawcett, an attractive Mudblood whom he recognized as being a Ravenclaw from his year. She went for fifty galleons, and he was sure the woman who purchased her would torture her daily while treating her like a house-elf. Draco didn't object to torturing Mudbloods. He wondered if he would torture Ginevra himself, but knew he most likely wouldn't. She wouldn't fetch a great value if he decided to sell her after that. They all ended up going mental from too many sessions of torture. That lessened their value greatly. Simple retreating into one's self eventually could be fixed, as Granger had pointed out. Insanity could never be cured. Longbottom's parents were a prime example.

A few more women, and even a man or two, were auctioned. Draco paid no mind to these and sat staring at his nails. He wasn't concerned with them or their well being, they had all brought this upon themselves. They'd been given many opportunities to turn away from the Order, or to at least pledge their allegiance to no one. They could have been neutral, allowed to do business with both sides and keep going on about their everyday lives, but they had refused to do so. Therefore, they faced their punishment for conspiring to bring down the Wizarding world.

When Ginevra Weasley crossed the stage Draco Malfoy looked up, still sitting lazily. He was confident no one would outbid him. He had more money than any of them, firstly. Secondly, having killed Dumbledore gave him certain privileges. He had control over many, many people.

"Ahhh," the auctioneer said, grinning wickedly. He was simply a profiteer, no one of importance, who had made his living the best way he could. "This one is a beauty when she's cleaned up. Ginevra Weasley, Pureblood. She may be a blood traitor, but only to an extent. She's still a virgin, lads." Cat calls went up from the audience. Ginevra's dirty hair fell down her back almost to her waist, though it would be longer if it weren't so dirty and matted. Her brown eyes were incredibly vacant, and she almost looked dead due to her eyes and the combined paleness of her face. The only part of her they'd cleaned was her face, actually. Her robes were worn through, which was supposed to help sell her. After all, the men wanted a preview of the goods before they bought them.

"One hundred galleons!" a woman called out.

"Two hundred galleons!" a man named Jugson yelled excitedly.

"Five hundred galleons!" the woman screamed, obviously wanting to buy a servant.

It was silent for a moment, and then, "Six hundred galleons," Draco said, not bothering to yell. He knew he would be heard by everyone.

"Seven hundred galleons." The woman dared try to outbid him?

"Eight hundred galleons."

"Nine hundred galleons." He could feel the woman's glare. It wasn't his fault if she didn't have an old family house that came with a house-elf like his did.

"Two thousand galleons," he simply stated. There was silence and then a thin bit of muttering, obviously wondering why Draco was buying the youngest Weasley.

"Are there no other bidders?" The auctioneer looked disappointed. He'd been hoping the bid war would continue so he could profit even more. When no one said anything, the auctioneer banged down his fist and screamed sold. Draco walked on stage to retrieve his goods, and then he Apparated them back to the prison, prepared to question Arthur Weasley very thoroughly.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Many thanks to everyone who reviewed. While this chapter is a little slow, the next one will have a LOT of action. Also, thanks to Erin, who is more than just a beta to me. You are beyond amazing! Now, on with the story!

xXx

The cold from the dungeon seeped into Draco's bones, causing him to shiver slightly where he stood. Voldemort was looking over the parchment full of notes that Draco had taken while Arthur Weasley talked. Draco had wanted to make sure he didn't forget anything. The Dark Lord was always vengeful when a piece of information was lost, and Draco did not want to get on his bad side. Not now, not ever.

When the Dark Lord was finished, his black eyes came to rest on Ginevra Weasley, who was standing in the corner of the dungeon, far enough away not to hear the conversation between the two men. If man is what you could consider Voldemort.

"You have yet to take her back to that Manor of yours and clean her up, Draco. How inconsiderate." Voldemort's icy voice cut through Draco, and he had to force himself to look into those dark eyes.

"I apologize, My Lord, but I found it prudent to get this information to you as quickly as possible. I assumed that every minute I delayed in relaying this to you was another minute for the Order to plan." Draco stood stiffly, feet together, voice steady, gaze falling every time he finished speaking to the Dark Lord, as he liked his servants to do. Draco had not moved up in the ranks of the Death Eaters by ignoring any unspoken rules. There was a long pause while Voldemort assessed both Draco and Ginevra.

"I am pleased that, as always, you put the cause first in your mind. You have done well, Draco. I admit I was… concerned about your inability to partake in the joys of the flesh as my other servants do, but I am grateful now that you didn't. Still, I find myself wondering, how far would you go for me, young Malfoy?"

Draco stopped breathing momentarily. He was being tested, he knew it.

"My Lord, I would do anything for you, as always. Anything you ask of me." At this, Draco got down on one knee and looked up into Voldemort's face. He smirked at Draco, nodding his head slowly, his fingers now pressed together.

"Then, Draco, I ask once again a big task of you. I've been wondering for awhile now if we couldn't…bring the other side around to our way of thinking. Reform them, so to speak. That is your mission with Ginevra. I want to see some improvement by New Years. I know it will take time, but I want to see some of her resistance to listen gone. Now go, take the girl and clean her up. She needs it." With that, Voldemort went back to reading the parchment, and Draco took Ginny by the hand, Apparating her back to Malfoy Manor.

xXx

Over the course of a month, Ginny had learned to hide her emotions well. Letting them show did little to nothing for anyone… other than being a reminder of the misery that was ever present. Ginny had felt the ultimate pain at being betrayed by her closest friends. She had fought alongside them, helped plan escapes for their families, healed them when they were sick, and they'd returned the favour by serving her up as bait.

Ever since then Ginny had been hiding behind a façade of unresponsiveness, though her mind was far from that. She assessed everything, took in every detail of her surroundings, made note of every word that came out of someone's mouth. She was determined to find a way to escape. To where, she wasn't yet sure, but the answer would come in time if she was patient enough. 

She knew what her father had been trying to do: help her escape from certain death, certain pain. As much as she hated Malfoy, it was nothing next to the hate she felt for the other Death Eaters who had been responsible for the death of her brothers. Malfoy was her best hope for life. And she would live. She would not give up. 

She was aware of Malfoy's hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the yard to his Manor, this beautiful stone Manor, with so many windows and such a beautiful garden. 

She wasn't surprised when she entered the Manor to see that it was full of cool colours and beautifully decorated, yet speaking of wealth and power at the same time. The Malfoys had always been showy and flashy.

"I will have a house-elf show you to your room so you can wash up, since you do need it. There are robes in there, though they may be a bit big on you… but we can always have the tailor come in and fix them. Barry!" Draco called out, and the house-elf appeared at once. "You know where to take Ginevra, correct?"

The house-elf nodded and proceeded to walk away. Ginny followed him, wondering at Malfoy's… well, he hadn't been nice, per se, but he hadn't been outright rude, either. This worried her slightly.

Ginny's room was up a flight of stairs, first door on the left. She was slightly impressed as she walked in, but lavish things mattered little to her now. There was a huge bed with hangings, an intricately carved wood dressing table, and the dark red walls had a beautiful cream and brown border across the top. The room was gigantic, and even had its own fireplace.

"This is to be your room," squeaked Barry, "and your lavatory is through that door." He pointed to a door in the corner of the room.

Ginny walked over to said door and opened it slowly. The loo was as big as the room. The vanity took up an entire wall; the marble top of the vanity seemed to sparkle. The walls were a light cream colour. The bath was big enough to fit three people, and the shower had two heads. The toilet looked to be made of porcelain.

Ginny noticed another door at the end farthest from the toilet and shower, closest to the vanity. She opened it and her jaw dropped. There was a walk-in cupboard, half the size of the lavatory. Ginny sank to the floor, glad that she was alone with her thoughts.

It took her a good minute to make sure the tears that were threatening to spill out didn't do so. Her heart was breaking knowing that here she was in the most amazing house, able to finally wash up, and the only family she had left was stuck in a cell in one of the many prison camps. The harsh truth that she had been fighting with finally forced its way through: They were going to die. Even after the information her father had given, they would be left to rot. They had saved her, sacrificing themselves in the process.

She could no longer fight the tears and they flowed down her face. She bit her lip to stifle the sobs that threatened to break free. Ten minutes ago she had been so strong, but even the strong can break down with just a simple truth.

Ginny strolled over to the door, locked it, and took her clothes off, stepping into the shower. She would've loved to take a bath, but she was too dirty for it. She fumbled with the knobs for a minute, her hands shaking as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She stood there for awhile, just letting the warm water rinse the loose dirt off her, enjoying the feel of water on her skin. She finally reached for the soap and scrubbed furiously at her skin. By the time she was convinced her body was clean enough, her skin had been rubbed almost raw.

She grabbed the shampoo and started on her hair. It felt amazing-orgasmic almost-to finally be washing her hair again. It took her three washings and a lot of conditioner to get it to an acceptable state. When she finally stepped out of the shower, Ginny felt cleaner then she'd ever remembered. She walked over to the mirror, grabbed the brush, and proceeded to comb her hair, thanking the Gods above for whoever had invented conditioner. She brushed her teeth and then turned to her cupboard.

She surveyed it, noticing that everything was in a small size, though she had bras of varying sizes. She grabbed her undergarments and a set of short-sleeved pyjamas. She walked to her room, crawled into her amazingly soft bed, and promptly passed out, despite the hunger pains in her stomach.

Ginny was awoken what couldn't have been more than an hour later by a light touch. She opened her eyes, only to see a pair of light green ones and an incredibly feminine face looking down at her. The woman wasn't insanely beautiful, but with those eyes, any imperfection could be overlooked. There was just something in her eyes.

"Hello, Ginevra. I'm Kora, and I've been hired to be your personal Healer. I know you need rest, but we need to address certain health issues immediately to prevent you from becoming deathly ill. Your immune system is probably pretty low right now from a lack of vitamins and nutrition. You need a thorough examination so I can assess any other medical condition that needs to be taken care of. Okay?"

Ginny nodded, enjoying the soft voice of the sandy haired woman. Her voice put Ginny at ease though experience told Ginny to be careful. The soothing tone could be a kind of magic.

"Here," Kora said, handing Ginny a small shot glass full of a potion. Ginny quirked an eyebrow, and the woman gave a small chuckle. "It's a vitamin potion, as well as containing enough nutrients as a whole meal. Those hunger pains will go away once you drink it. This will keep you from throwing up next time you eat, as you won't be piling food in your mouth to fill the hunger. Now drink," she commanded, and Ginny did. As soon as she drained the shot glass she felt the pains in her abdomen fade away, and she gave a sigh of relief. She felt as though she'd had a four course meal.

"Better, isn't it?" Ginny nodded in response, careful to not show much emotion with this woman. There was no way to know if she might go back to Malfoy and tell him everything she'd done or said.

"You did a great job cleaning up. I'll need you to strip down now, please." Ginny gave her a funny look and Kora sighed. "Please don't be difficult about this, Ginevra. I'm here for you. I have to keep you healthy. You-Know-Who wishes it. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. I just do as I am told." Kora tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ginny slowly took off her clothes, feeling very exposed. Kora lifted her arms, spread her legs, dabbed a few creams on certain spots where Ginny had cuts or bruises, and then told her to go ahead and get dressed again. All in all, the process was quick and done very professionally.

"I heard you were in the dungeon with Draco and You-Know-Who," Kora whispered.

Ginny thought back. She had been in a dungeon, but she hadn't been able to see who or what was in there. Nor had she heard anything. Ginny just shrugged in response. Kora stared at her for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

"Here." She handed Ginny a vial of liquid. "This is going to treat any infection you may have in your body, as well as give a boost to your immune system. I'll be back in a few days to check on you. If you develop a fever, tell one of the house-elves immediately." Ginny nodded as Kora packed a bag and walked out of the room.

She laid there a moment before deciding that in order to figure out why You-Know-Who wanted her alive and how to escape from his rule, she would have to have a clear head. She drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

xXx

"Well, dear son, what did Kora say about Ginevera?" Narcissa was sipping her tea, her eyebrow arched delicately as she took in her son's response.

Draco shifted uncomfortably. He hated even bringing Kora up due to what memories came to mind. He looked into his mother's face, knowing she was waiting for an answer.

"She said Ginevra is in excellent health considering the conditions she'd been living in. Why are we calling her Ginevra?"

"Draco, darling, if you wish to be able to please the Dark Lord you cannot insult her by using her surname. I have some ideas for how to get her to come around. Now is not the time, though. We need to let her get her strength back. She's very fragile now and completely heartbroken." His mother looked down into her tea, her eyes thoughtful.

"Why do you no longer talk to her? Kora, I mean." At that, Draco shrugged. "You feel guilty… that your beliefs, that everything you stand for, caused your best friend to have her heart broken beyond repair. Isn't that it?"

Draco stared at the table, consumed with pain. She had been his best friend. She'd been forced to stay at the manor to be around at all times to care for his mother at one time, and they'd grown close. As close as Draco could possibly be to someone, that is. Back then Kora had been so full of life. Now, she was half dead. Draco's breathing deepened, trying desperately not to let his emotions get the better of him. He knew if he opened his mouth to his mother, he would break down.

"You know," his mother said quietly, assessing him, "Ginevra looks very much like Lia." Draco couldn't take anymore. He got up abruptly and left, planning to drink himself into oblivion, to forget his best friend, and to forget that people like him were the reason she would never be whole again.

Narcissa watched her son go, her heart breaking in the process, but she was determined to make him face the truth he tried so desperately to ignore. He needed Kora. He needed his best friend by his side again, and Narcissa was determined to make that happen. Her son very rarely got close to anyone, and Kora was like a daughter to Narcissa. She put her tea down and got up with a plan forming in her mind. She needed to floo Kora, and then she needed to pay a visit to Ginevra.

xXx

Ginny stirred a few hours after she'd dozed off, only to hear someone stomping past her room and slamming a door. Through the haze of being half asleep, Ginny's mind went out to her family, her family who was stuck in the prison cell and who'd looked at her one last time with happiness and sadness in their eyes.

She was close to sleep again when there was a small knock on her door. Ginny struggled to open her eyes, not wanting to leave the comfort of her bed. Before she'd even decided whether or not she wanted to open the door, a woman who could only have been Narcissa Malfoy strode in carrying a tray of food. Ginny's stomach rumbled in response to the sight of the food and Narcissa attempted to smile kindly, setting the tray down on the bed and sitting down herself as well.

"You've been asleep for awhile. You really need to eat. I flooed your Healer, and she told me that now would be a good time for a meal. And you do need to move around a bit, Ginevra. You'll never gain any strength back if you don't." Narcissa poured a cup of tea and shoved a plate of fried quail eggs into Ginny's hands, along with a fork. Ginny just stared at the food for a minute, and then back into Narcissa's face. She had no idea what to make of it.

"Ginevra, you will eat. You can lay there and pretend you do not understand what I'm saying, but we both know that is a lie. You are not catatonic at all, and you will not pretend to be. You are not the only person to lose everything they have in this war. Ask your Healer sometime. You might just learn a thing or two. Now eat. Or I will make you eat, and not with magic."

Narcissa's glare told Ginny she was serious, and Ginny forked the eggs into her mouth. She hadn't realized how much she missed the taste of food. Her eyes fluttered closed, savoring the taste of the eggs and wondering just what Narcissa had meant about Kora.

"Now, after breakfast we need to get you some new clothes, though not a lot as I'm sure you'll be gaining weight soon. You're too skinny as it is," she sniffed, and Ginny looked up, fork half-way to her mouth.

She looked Narcissa over, realizing for the first time that though she was small, she wasn't skinny. She had a gorgeous figure. Her stomach was on the flat side, but not excessively so. Ginny had always assumed the rich were supposed to be skinny, and she'd never questioned that, never stopped to see if it was true. She momentarily wondered what else she was wrong about as she forked the rest of the eggs into her mouth, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

"Ginevra, say something," Narcissa commanded.

"Something," Ginny murmured, her voice sounding dry and nasal as well as foreign to her ears. It had been so long since she'd talked, and she didn't know why she'd obeyed, other than that Narcissa had sounded so much like a mother. At this thought she had to close her eyes to keep the tears from spilling out, as memories of her own mother swirled through her mind.

"Sarcastic, much?" Narcissa murmured, waiting respectfully for Ginny to open her eyes. "Still, it is an improvement. You miss them, don't you?" Her voice was so soft, and Ginny nodded, feeling oddly at ease with her. "Well, I have an idea. From what I hear, the Burrow still stands. If your…behavior improves, I'll take you to go collect whatever of your family's belongings you would like. I know how much it can mean to have things that belonged to someone you loved."

Ginny felt the tears stinging her eyes, but she kept them from spilling out. How she would love to go home just one more time, but she wasn't sure she could bear the pain. She was also very suspicious now of Narcissa. What could make this woman show any sympathy for her? Narcissa's son stood against everything Ginny stood for. To show sympathy to Ginny was to turn her back on her son. The only explanation was that she had ulterior motives, and these motives were connected with whatever the Dark Lord was doing. Ginny was sure that his plans were the only reason she was currently living in Malfoy Manor. Still, she could learn a lot by playing along.

Narcissa passed her a small plate with toast and marmalade along with the cup of tea. Ginny sipped it, enjoying the taste, and took a bite of her toast. "Normally we have a bigger selection for breakfast, but I thought it prudent to start off with a little at a time. No need to pile too much in before you can handle it. Now-" Narcissa was cut off by a knock on the door.

Draco entered, blond hair disheveled and smelling very strongly of Firewhisky. He looked positively livid. Narcissa's lip turned up in disgust at her son, and Ginny was shocked by this action, wondering if it was, indeed, all an act.

"Mother dearest," Draco slurred, sneering drunkenly, "why is Kora in my house?"

"Your house?" Narcissa's voice was venomous. Ginny shivered at it slightly.

"Yes, Mother, my house. I am the man of the house, for now. Maybe forever," he slurred.

Narcissa stood up, walked over to Ginny's side of the bed where Draco was, and slapped him hard across the face, whipping his head to one side. Ginny felt a small thrill at being privy to such an intimate moment, no matter if it was an anger-filled one. Getting information might not be so hard after all, though what they were talking about was hard to understand.

Draco didn't say anything for a long moment, and his mother stood there, hands folded across her chest and rage in her eyes, while Draco simply stared at the floor. Then finally: "I'm sorry, Mother, that was completely out of line." Ginny was floored. She'd never thought Malfoy, of all people, was capable of apologizing.

"Good. Now, to answer your question of why Kora is here in _our_ house: She is here because I asked her to stay with us. Ginevra was in deplorable conditions, as you well know, and many of the people who were auctioned off are coming down with a severe cough that has actually stopped some of them from breathing for a short period of time. One person has even _died_. I wanted to make sure that Kora was on hand to keep our newest addition to the household safe and healthy." Draco looked incredibly ashamed of himself, but his mother continued on. "It wouldn't kill you to talk to her, you know. She lost Lia. She shouldn't have to deal with losing her best friend too. Now out."

Draco got up without another word and left the room, very much subdued by his mother. Narcissa sighed deeply and look over at Ginny.

"I'm really sorry you had to witness that. He gets that way any time someone mentions Kora. He can be such a baby sometimes. You know, I think I'll just have a designer bring over some clothes for you to look at. You need something that fits. I'll just go take care of that." Narcissa hurried out the room.

Ginny sat there, questions racing through her mind. Who the hell was Lia and how did Kora lose her? And why did Malfoy act like that if Kora was really his best friend? Nothing made sense to Ginny, but she was determined to find out what the hell was going on, and what her role in all this was.


	3. Chapter 3

Many thanks to: Nikki, Erin, and Anise for beta-ing my story. Especially Erin and Anise. And as always, thank you to ALL my readers and reviewers. Don't forget to check out my LJ(link in my bio) to see pictures of the characters, and maybe even a few cookies from time to time. Now, on to the story!

Ginevra been there a week and already the Manor was changing. It was his mother, mostly. She was always talking to Ginevra in a soothing voice, making the girl smile faintly. Kora was doing a lot too. She'd get Ginevra to laugh by telling her stories, cracking jokes, whatever it took. Draco couldn't help but realize how beautiful Ginevra looked when she smiled—more like the twenty-one year old she was.

But that real smile was rare since Draco had come back two days ago from seeing the Dark Lord. He'd gone to her, held her hand, and told her he was sorry, but her family had been killed while they slept. For the second time in his life, a woman collapsed on him, but this time he held her and comforted her. He wondered how many times people would lose those they loved for his beliefs.

Ever since he'd comforted her, Ginny sought him out during the day, if only to be in his presence. Once or twice she'd asked questions, but other than that, she looked deader than before. Before, Draco was sure she had the drive to fight. She'd had a reason to fight. Draco had seen the lose of fight in his mother once before, when his father had been sent to Ireland for the Dark Lord and she was told he would not be back for three years. He'd watched her look at her plate as though her whole world had been lost because, in a sense, it had.

Draco closed his eyes; he missed his father terribly. He'd have an idea for what Draco needed to do. He always did. His father was a strong man, a sturdy man. He did whatever he had to do for his family and, as his mum had pointed out, unless Draco failed, Ginevra was family.

While Draco knew the only emotion he was starting to feel for Ginevra was worry, it was still an emotion nonetheless, no matter how big or small. And having her become attached to him, while great for his task, bothered him. He knew he should be grateful because, even if he was the Dark Lord's right-hand man, failing at a task would result in punishment. He could lose his place in the inner circle.

Draco took a deep breath and looked at where Kora sat next to Ginevra. Kora looked up at him and shook her head sadly, clearly saying that she was at a loss for what to do. Draco gave a slight nod, and then realized that was the most communication he'd had with his best friend in months. It had not been hard at all. He resolved then to talk to her after lunch. His mother was right. Kora served the Dark Lord just as he did. She had known what she was getting into by helping Lia.

Draco was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear someone come up behind him, didn't realize anything was amiss, until his mother screamed, staring at a spot behind him. He whipped his wand out, ready to aim a hex, but was disarmed. He turned to see his father standing before him. Before anyone could say anything his mother had run into his father's arms, crying. Her heart was home.

Later that day, Lucius and Draco were sitting in one of the Manor's many studies, though this one was by far the most lavish, as it was Lucius's own private study. His father sat there, drumming his fingers on the wood, listening to his son tell him what the Dark Lord had asked of him and what had gone on so far. When Draco finished, Lucius seemed to be deep in thought, and Draco knew better than to disturb his father's thought process.

"She's going to try to escape. We have to reinforce the wards."

"Father, are you sure? I mean, she has nothing, why-"

"Exactly," his father said, cutting him off. "She has no reason to stay, no reason to want to stay. Everything she cares for is gone. She is not following you around because she is attached to you. She's following you around to see if she can find a way out. I'm going to secure all the wards. In the meantime you keep an eye on her."

Over the next week Ginevra tried every way she could to escape Malfoy Manor. She'd attempted everything from climbing out her bedroom window and breaking a leg in the process, to trying to be taken out with the trash. Draco and his father had a nice laugh when he mentioned that it was fitting for trash to be taken out with trash. Still, his father made sure the wards held. There was no way for the blood traitor to even come close to escaping.

"She'll give up soon," his father had told him over a drink. "Until then, we have to sit back, wait, and laugh at her pathetic attempts." Draco nodded, lifting his glass up to clink it against his father's. As soon as their glasses touched, Draco felt the searing pain in his arm and dropped his whiskey, hissing from the pain. He looked up at his father, to see him wearing a worried expression.

"You're the only one being called, Draco," he whispered. Draco knew the drill; they'd had it for a long time. When one was called and the other wasn't, the family would stay up waiting for their missing party to come home… hoping they would come home. His father gave a slight nod, and Draco got up and Apparated to where the Dark Lord was waiting for him.

Once the rubber band feeling had passed, Draco opened his eyes to find himself in a field that was empty aside from himself and the Dark Lord. His stomach was in knots and fear flooded through him. This never meant a good thing. He'd heard the stories: of followers turning up dead in fields, no Death Eater knowing what had happened. His breathing came hard and fast as he tried to figure out what he had done to bring his own death upon himself. He didn't want to die. Oh god, he didn't want to die.

Draco approached the immortal that he had served faithfully for six years, his knees buckling with each step. His breath came in short bursts, and he knew he wasn't far from hyperventilating if he didn't get a grip on himself. But at this point, did it really matter? He briefly wondered if Ginevra would be killed too, but that was only one of hundreds of thoughts going through his mind. He'd never thought that this many emotions would face him when it was his time to go. He'd always figured it wouldn't matter… but it did matter. He wanted to live.

"I'm glad to see that while you serve me faithfully, you still respect and fear me. However, young Malfoy, you have nothing to fear for the moment. I merely wish to speak with you about the task to which you've been assigned so I can… check on your progress." Voldemort smiled wickedly, and a shiver went through Draco. This had been a set up to make sure that he still feared his Lord. Draco had heard the stories of those who stopped showing fear trying to over throw him, and dying in the process. Draco's mind reeled. That could only mean Voldemort suspected someone of planning something against him. 

"Has Ms. Weasley been trying to escape yet?" Draco hesitated in answering, but he knew nothing good ever came from lying to the Dark Lord. It would only make things worse. He nodded numbly, heart still racing from what he had been sure was a death sentence.

"Good." Voldemort nodded and Draco looked up in confusion. "You see," he said, pacing around Draco, "once she realizes that she cannot escape, she will slowly adjust to life with you. Then, slowly, you move in, and the reformation takes place. Leave certain choice books lying around. Let her see what Muggles are really like." Draco nodded, knowing it made sense. Everything Voldemort told Draco always did make sense.

"I am pleased that you have yet to fail any task that I have given you. You are my best servant. You have never tasted what it feels like to fail… I think you need a small bite so that you will continue to never fail me." Before what Voldemort said had even registered, Draco felt pain flood his body.

The pain was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Every nerve in his body was on fire. His body was melting; it had to be. The fire was so hot that his skin had to be turned into candle wax. Every nerve should have been burned up, but the pain went on, every second feeling like an eternity. He wanted to die, wanted the pain to stop. This was hell, he was in hell. He knew it was never going to end, knew the pain was never going to stop. He would die from the pain. There was no way around it.

Then suddenly the pain stopped, but his screaming did not. He had been screaming? He was confused, his mind disoriented. His screams stopped, turning into sobs, tears flowing freely down his face. Then he was retching, everything inside his stomach coming up. He felt insignificant in front of the Dark Lord, crying like a baby and being sick. And that was exactly how Voldemort wanted him to feel.

Before Draco could even clear his head, he felt another burst of pain across his chest and abdomen. Then came the sensation of warm liquid pouring out his chest. He cried out in pain, looking down to see his white shirt stained with blood as more blood continued to pour out of his abdomen. Maybe he would die here and now. So much blood… 

"Remember this. Should you fail, this will be ten times worse. Should you succeed, you will never have to worry about this happening to you as long as you live." Voldemort vanished, leaving Draco light-headed. He knew he couldn't Apparate, and he struggled to think through the fog that clouded his mind. He distantly thought of the ring his father had given him after the final battle, so Lucius could always find his son.

Draco struggled to raise his wand and touch it to the ring. Once he did, he lay there in the field, struggling to stay conscious. Draco managed it long enough to see his father pick him up, and then Draco fell into oblivion.

Ginny stood with Narcissa and Kora. Everything had been swept off the dining room table, and Kora's medical bag had all its contents sitting out, ready for whatever needed to be done. Narcissa had explained that all three Malfoys had rings, should anything happen to them. Narcissa also held a locket. If one of the two men should die, it would burn against her chest, and the first letter of the name would appear. A precaution, she had said.

Only a few minutes later, minutes that felt like an eternity, Lucius appeared with a small pop, a blood-soaked Draco in his arms. He moved swiftly, and Kora was already giving orders. Before Ginny could blink, the dining room had turned into a hospital. Kora was bringing out a tube, slowly pushing it down Draco's throat.

"Cissa, get the funnel and slowly pour this potion into it." Kora ripped open Draco's shirt, muttering spells over his chest. When she moved slightly, Ginny gasped. There were three long, deep gashes across Draco's chest that were still bleeding profusely.

"Gin, put that poker halfway into the fire. Once it gets red hot, literally red, bring it to me. No magic can stop this bleeding." She murmured the last bit to herself. Ginny did what she was asked without question. She was reminded strongly of the war. She focused on the poker, not wanting to see the blood still pouring out of Draco's chest. She felt fear coursing through her. She didn't want to see this, didn't want to watch him die. 

Ginny noticed the poker had turned red and took it to Kora, who'd pulled the tube out of Draco's throat and, from the look of it, put him under a full body-bind. Ginny was confused about what the poker could possibly do to help Draco. Then she watched Kora place it on the wounds and drag it slowly across. The smell of burning flesh filled Ginny's nose and she started to retch. Narcissa produced a bucket for her to be sick in, eyes filled with tears.

When she'd finished, she looked up to see Kora on the third gash, going slowly. The first two had stopped bleeding. Lucius stood there, knuckles white and face ghostly pale. Ginny held onto Narcissa's hand. She felt so sorry for the two parents standing there, worry written on their faces. She wondered if they, like her, wondered what Draco had done to deserve this. He was Voldemort's right-hand man; this shouldn't have happened to a loyal servant.

When Kora finished she took the body bind off, and Draco screamed at the top of his lungs. As much as Ginny disliked Draco, she didn't wish to see anyone in this kind of pain. As soon as his scream died, his entire body began to shake.

"Hold him down!" Kora screamed and Ginny rushed over to help, tears streaming down in worry. "Drink, Draco, drink," Kora whispered, propping his head up and tipping a potion into his mouth. He drank it, and his convulsing subsided slowly. He looked into Kora's eyes and she sighed. Narcissa moved over to where he stood, and when he looked up at his mother he began to sob. Narcissa cradled his head against her chest, whispering soothingly.

Ginny sank to the floor, feeling drained and sick, the smell of burnt flesh still in the air. She'd never thought that a Death Eater could end up like this, not since Voldemort had won. Had her trying to escape caused this? Had she brought this upon the man lying on the table? She ran from the dining room, not wanting to be there a moment longer. The guilt was too much for her to bear.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Many thanks to Anise for all her help with this chapter. She helped remind me of certain things that will make the rest of this story amazing beyond belief. As always I would like to thank my reviewers. You are all awesome sauce. **

**And special thanks to my fangirls: Kira, Ky, Snow, and Karla.**

Draco stood in the shower, water pouring over him, washing away the blood that was crusted on his torso. He leaned his forehead against the tile, knowing they were waiting in his bedroom with the bathroom door open, just in case. He turned around, leaning his back against the wall, and ran his hands through his hair, sighing deeply.

He'd had in one day more pain than he'd ever thought possible in his lifetime. And now he was scared that if he failed, he would die, no questions asked. His body shook as tears fell down his face, mingling in with the dirty water that went down the drain. He knew his parents were worried sick, and that he had to be strong for his mother. He'd explained what the Dark Lord had said, and his mother had come close to fainting.

He could hear their whispers coming from his room, and knew they were discussing ways to help his task be accomplished. He finished washing up and stepped into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist. Draco looked to his father, wondering what the game plan was. But it was his mother who spoke first.

"We have been alerted by Blaise that news of what has happened in the field is circulating among cannot appear weak. We have to be strong, and show that we will not be beaten. A week from now we will hold a ball, and Ginevra will be on your arm. The task has leaked out, and we have to look as though we are making progress. That is the only way we can keep our current footing." Her voice was strong and held conviction. He nodded slowly.

"I see. But how do we convince Ginevra to attend?" That, in Draco's mind, would be the hardest part. The rest was easy. His mother was great at planning balls.

"That is your part. Though after tonight, I doubt it will be at all hard. She seems to blame herself." Narcissa quirked an eyebrow while Draco furrowed both of his. As he looked up at his mother, he realized how gorgeous she was, which he saw more clearly at some times than at others. With her perfectly arched eyebrows, the blonde hair with hints of light brown, and her soft green eyes, she spoke of elegance and femininity. It was easy to see why his father had been attracted to her.

"Put some clothes on, and go talk to her," his father said as he exited the room with Narcissa.

He walked across the hall to Ginevra's room, rapping lightly on the door. He heard a muffled voice telling him to come in. He walked into the room that was set up the same as his own, only to see Ginevra standing there in only a towel. He took a sharp breath inward. Her back was turned toward him until she heard the intake of air, and she turned, eyebrows raised. When her eyes landed on him, she turned red. He could just see the top of her breasts that were starting to fill back out, and rather nicely if he was honest with himself.

He averted his eyes to the floor respectfully, not forgetting what his mother had taught him. It wouldn't do for him to piss Ginevra off at this time, not when he needed her cooperation.

"Oh, Mal…Draco, I didn't realize it was you. Um…give me just a moment," she said as she scurried off. He sat down on a couch that had plenty of room for her to sit next to him, but not too closely. He knew most Death Eaters would be rock hard from that little sight, but honestly, there had not been much to see, and his imagination rarely got carried away.

When she came out she was wearing a simple black silk night gown which came to a few inches above her knee. She had a matching silk wrap that she wore to cover up her chest. Her figure was like an hourglass. Draco motioned to the couch and she sat the other end, one leg under her. Draco registered the creamy white thigh it exposed but ignored it. He was more enraptured by the flaming red hair that hung loosely around her shoulders, begging for a bit of a cut. It was too long though still gorgeous.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was soft, eyes on the pink scars.

Draco shrugged. "I'll live. It comes with the job. A reminder to… not fail the… assignment, that I was given." It was clear by the pout of her lips and the look in her eyes that she was convinced it was her fault.

"It's about me, isn't it?" she whispered, leaning in closer to him, as though they were discussing top secret information out in public. Draco paused, looking into the light brown eyes, and nodded slowly. She pulled back, gulping slightly.

"What we need to present the world with is a front. One that deflects any rumors that may be spreading around. So, mother is throwing a ball… and you will be attending… with me. It's the only way to convince everyone that we are still going strong, and that there is no problem." Ginevra bit her bottom lip, her forehead scrunched up.

"Do I really have a choice?" she asked, sarcasm lining her voice though there seemed to be a tad bit of guilt in her eyes. Draco gave a small chuckle at her comment.

"No, you don't. Honestly, if I fail my assignment, both you and I die. This is the lesser of two evils, Ginevra. A ball will not kill you, and no one would dare be anything less than cordial to you. Especially now that my father is back. He'd make an example of the person. You have nothing to worry about." His voice was as soothing as he could make it. She nodded slowly, eyes still on his scars.

"Mother should be having different ball gowns sent over tomorrow, as well as a hairstylist to determine the best look for you. She tends to go all out with these, though at this point, it really is needed." Ginevra simply nodded, a faint smile on her lips.

As he got up and headed to the door, Ginevra spoke. "Draco?" He turned around slowly, unconsciously showing off the muscles in his now scarred abdomen. "Whose Lia?" she asked softly. Draco quirked an eyebrow, one of the few traits he'd gotten from his mother.

"That's not my story to tell. You'll have to ask her. Just be sure that you're ready to hear the truth." When it was clear the she had nothing left to say he walked out the room, the memory of her lips on his chest playing through his mind.

Ginny was sitting in the shower, hot water pouring over her, when Kora found her. For a moment, the two women just looked at each other, a blush creeping into Kora's face at the naked woman in front of her.

"I think I'm going crazy," Ginny whispered to Kora, her eyes far away. Her family was gone, and she was going on like it was nothing, like they'd never been a part of her. She felt like she was drifting in the middle of an ocean. She didn't even know who she was anymore.

She had been suppressing the feelings, and they'd suddenly hit her with an overwhelming force. Everything was crashing down on her. She couldn't run from any of it anymore. Her side had lost, and that was all there was to it. There was no point in fighting or resisting the Malfoys; either way, they had already won. _Except Draco_, her mind said. He was in danger, and it was because of her. Because of her side. It was all because of her beliefs.

She'd always believed that good would triumph over evil; it had to, all the stories said so. Harry was going to save the world, and save her from the darkness that had threatened to consume her from Tom Riddle. Harry died a slow painful death. He died for nothing. So did everyone else. Her family, her friends. Their deaths would mean nothing to history. They would have no monuments dedicated to them. They'd be lucky enough to even get their own graves. It had all been for naught.

Tears spilled down her face and she gave a strangled sob. She didn't even notice Kora run out of the room at top speed. Nor did she notice when minutes later Narcissa came in, dressed up, makeup perfect, and sat in the shower with her, an arm around her. All she could think of was how useless fighting had been. She was so tired of fighting.

Her friend's faces flashed through her mind. She remembered going to Hogesmeade with them, laughing with them, living with them. She remembered seeing her friends dead, carrying their bodies away from the Death Eaters and crying over them. And she remembered the day Ernie McMillan chained her to a chair and left her. Ernie, who she'd saved time and time again. Ernie, who had tried to take Harry's place in her life, tried to love her. It was revenge, she knew. Revenge for not loving him like he loved her. She had as good as killed her family.

She rested her head on Narcissa's shoulder, barely registering who it was. She just didn't care. She didn't have the strength to get off the floor of the shower. There was just no point anymore. She felt…. empty. She'd lost it all. Everything was gone, torn away from her. There was nothing left for her to look forward to ever again.

She felt a scream of rage escape her, and then she was on her hands and knees pounding the floor with hate. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair at all. Where had she gone wrong?

"Get Draco, we need to get her off the floor." Narcissa's voice sounded distant even though she was right next to Ginny. She looked at Narcissa with tear stained eyes, noticing how she was as soaked as Ginny, her makeup running down her face, her hair completely messed up, and her dress ruined. _Why, why does she even care?_

Draco's face appeared before her looking very grave. Ginny paused her crying and screaming for half a second, and then launched herself at him, kicking punching and screaming.

"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! They're dead because of you. Everyone's dead because of you and your little friends, you fucking bastard!" Draco held her naked form against his chest and she beat him in it, not caring that the scars weren't healed inside and it would cause him pain. She wanted him to hurt, she wanted them all to hurt. They deserved it. They deserved to feel the pain that was consuming her, eating her alive.

"Draco, hold her, I need to tranquilize her," Kora's voice came from behind her, and Ginny struggled to get free of Draco's grip.

"No," Narcissa said. "She has to let it out or it will kill her."

"Then let me die!" she screamed. "Anything would be better than this!" and Draco held her tighter still, until she gave up, crying into his chest, crying for everything and everyone she had lost. Crying for who she'd been, who she'd never be again. She had been stripped of herself, and now they wanted her to live, to care enough to keep going. How could she? She just wanted to be with her family again.

"I hate you," she whispered into Draco's chest as he stroked her hair. Tears no longer came to her eyes.

"I know," he whispered back.

More memories flooded Ginny's mind. Hermione and her at the Burrow, gossiping over insignificant things. Bill and Charlie holding her while they rode their brooms, letting her experience the thrill of flying for the first time. Ron holding her when there was a thunderstorm and she was scared to be by herself. Tom, telling her he regretted hurting her, and looking regretful. Luna giving her bits of wisdom. Sneaking around Hogwarts at night with Neville and Luna, writing things on the walls.

"Live for them, Ginevra. Live because they can't. Live because they died so you could," Draco whispered. Ginny felt herself drifting slowly, as though falling asleep, and she fought against it. She didn't want to sleep. She didn't want to sleep ever again. She didn't want to dream about her friends dying over and over again. She gripped Draco's shoulders for dear life, gripping the shoulders of the man she had just screamed at.

"I'm going to keep a watch on her. Owl Blaise and tell him to bring the girl with him when he comes tomorrow." With that, Draco picked up her naked form, carrying her to his room, and laying her down in his bed. He pulled the sheets up to her neck and started to walk away. Ginny felt fear course through her.

"No! Please, don't leave me!" He paused for a moment, and slowly turned around. He walked over to the bed, and very slowly sat down next to her. She rested her head against his arm, needing to feel another human being next to her, and needing to know she wasn't all alone, even if it was a man she hated.

When she woke, the room was empty, though the warmth next to her told her that Draco hadn't left long ago. Next to her was a book. She sat up, looking at it for a moment, before opening it and beginning to read of Muggle wars that had taken place around the world. She sat there for an hour, immersed in this history lesson, horrified at what the books were describing, bile rising in her throat. _How could anyone be so cruel?_

She couldn't stop herself from reading on, learning everything that the Muggle Studies teacher had failed to teach the class. Many times she had to stop and re-read an entire paragraph because she was in such disbelief. But it was all true, printed here in front of her in a book made by said Muggles. The book talked about the events as though they weren't incredibly sad, as though the numbers of people dead meant nothing.

The smell of food wafted down the hall, and Ginny looked up, marking her page in the history book. Draco walked in holding a tray with mounds of food. Her mouth watered as Draco set it up in the middle of the room, with two chairs on either side. He flourished his wand, and a cloak was covering her.

"I brought a variety of everything. There's this great Muggle diner that has the best breakfast menu. It has everything." As Ginny glanced at the food, she noticed he was right. She sat down, grabbing for the black pudding first, enjoying the taste. It felt like so long ago since she'd eaten. Draco was busying himself with a plate of smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. She'd heard about the more expensive British breakfasts, and had on occasion had one or two when Ron was in his first year. It all looked so good. Hogwarts's breakfast menu had been basic, though good.

"Enjoying your book?" he asked kindly, sipping coffee, or maybe it was tea? Ginny wasn't sure, but she made herself a nice cup of coffee.

"Yes, actually. I'm not very far into it though. It's so long. There must be a thousand pages." Ginny reached for an omelet with smoked salmon, mushroom, and cheese. She forked a bite in her mouth, savoring the taste.

"It is. That's also just a brief overview of Muggle history too. I have more books, when you decide which part of history you want to read more about." He said it so casually, as though it meant nothing. Ginny became suspicious, pouring a glass of pumpkin juice to wash down the bit of omelet that seemed to be stuck in her throat. She simply nodded, not wanting to argue in case he decided to take all the food away.

She'd only had a few bites of her omelet when she reached for toast covered thickly with blackcurrant jam. She wanted to try a bit of everything. It had been so long since she'd had a real English breakfast, the kind that were reserved for Sundays.

"I love World War I myself, but I think you might like World War II. I doubt you've gotten that far yet." Ginny finished off her toast, reaching for her coffee to sip at, not saying anything.

"It is the Dark Lord's wish that you learn Muggle history. This will be an easy thing for you to do, as well as interesting. There are the bad things, but there are also the amazing inventions they come up with and how they work. Here, have a kipper. It's great. And the baked beans." He passed her a plate, and she took it gratefully.

"Why are you being so nice?" she questioned him while eating the kipper, studying his impassive face. He raised an eyebrow, and Ginny wanted to slap him for it. She gritted her teeth, beyond irritated. That stupid expression of his. On his mother, it looked inquiring. _Why couldn't he be more like his mother?_

"You are a Pureblood female who is under the Malfoy roof. I would not shame my parents by disrespecting you. Also, as we are living together, being rude to each other will get us nowhere. It will mean a death sentence for both of us." He sipped his drink, glancing at his watch as though he had an engagement of some kind.

"In about an hour, my mother will come get you to meet the designer and pick out a gown for the ball. Then, you will get your hair cut… though I do like it long… sometimes." His eyes followed her hair, an almost hungry expression in his eyes.

They spent the rest of the hour eating slowly in silence. It felt nice to not have to rush to eat. And when the food was gone, Ginny sat back, sipping her coffee and reading her history book. She hadn't even noticed that Draco was watching her the entire time, a blank expression on his face.

When Narcissa came for her, Ginny gave Draco one last look before departing to go through hours of what she considered torture.


	5. Chapter 5

bI would like to thank the wonderful Anise for taking the time to beta my story. Also, a huge thanks to Haz and Noona(Natasha) for staying up with me all night while the first version of this chapter was written. Lastly, I want to thank the reviewers and the readers.

Please note that now that I'm in school I won't be updating as often. I have most of the chapters written, but due to homework, I barely get online. So if I don't update, don't worry. I haven't abandoned this story./b

xXx

Draco was waiting for Ginevra at the top of the stairs, while taking a last look into a mirror, making sure his appearance was, as always, impeccable. So when Ginevra came up behind him he saw that she was wearing a gorgeous, lavender dress. It had glitter in the bust area, and small dots running down to the hips, where it flared out. Her hair was pulled up a bit, soft curls flowing slightly down past her shoulders and a diamond flower head piece across her hair like a headband. She was wearing a beautiful necklace that had rows of teardrop diamonds.

Draco turned slowly, looking her in the eyes. She looked simply radiant. He'd always known that Ginevra Weasley was an attractive girl, but he'd never known she could possibly be so… well, beautiful.

"Are you both ready to make your appearance?" Narcissa asked from the side of them. Her dress was the same as Ginevra's but in Slytherin green. As always she wore her locket, and her hair was pulled into the customary loose bun that she wore to balls. Draco nodded mutely. His mother and father descended the stairs first, as was customary. Draco offered Ginevra his arm and they started down the stairs.

"Don't mind their whispers," Draco said softly. And indeed, everyone was whispering, though what topic they were whispering about Draco couldn't be sure. They were shocked to see Ginevra looking so healthy after being in prison so long. There was also the fact that she was on Draco's arm, appearing as his date, and not looking at all disgusted by it. And she was dressed in a designer gown, her neck adorned with expensive jewelry. And the fact that Narcissa Malfoy had let their gowns match? Well, that just had to mean she accepted the youngest Weasley into the fold. With that came the gossip that the task must be going well.

Then they had Draco as a topic. Here he was looking perfectly healthy, when every Death Eater had been convinced Draco was on his deathbed. Then there was, again, the fact that Ginevra was on his arm, and i_he/i_ seemed perfectly fine with it, as though it was completely normal. That only made the group of people wonder if it was, indeed, normal for the two.

Draco could see Ginevra's appraising look around the ballroom. It was much like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, except with carpet and no tables. Why there was carpet, Draco for the life of him didn't know.

He could feel the stares of everyone as they made their way through the ballroom to the center, where his father would introduce him and Ginevra. He turned his head slightly to look at Ginevra. She was calm and collected as though this was nothing at all. i_Did they give her a calming potion/i?_ he wondered.

"I would like to introduce Draco's date, Ginevra Weasley. They will start the first dance tonight." Lucius's voice boomed across the huge room, reaching everyone there. They were all gaping at Ginevra. Lucius and Narcissa had always danced the first dance of the ball since they started dating back at Hogwarts. Draco wasn't even sure why he and Ginevra were leading the first dance. It was supposed to be a couple's dance, and they were not a couple.

Still, Draco took her into his arms as the cellos began. They flowed seamlessly across the floor together, looking into each other's eyes the entire time. For both of them the world faded away, and there was nothing but the music and their dancing.

Staring into Ginevra's eyes, Draco wasn't sure what he felt besides the want to kiss her. She looked like an angel in his arms. Draco wasn't aware that they'd started dancing closer, wasn't aware that the Death Eaters and their dates were whispering furiously, and he definitely wasn't aware of the satisfied smile on his mother's face.

"Nervous?" Draco asked softly. She shook her head no, a small smile gracing her lips as she wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck. They were spinning gracefully around and around, enraptured in the music. Later on, both would swear everything that happened that night had been due to the music that was played. Enchanted music, they would say, and Narcissa would shift her eyes every time someone brought it up, changing the subject subtly.

The song changed to a slower one and couples came to the dance floor, eyeing Draco and Ginevra. There was muttering all around them. Women and men alike had jealous or disdainful looks on their faces. Draco and Ginevra were both oblivious to everyone around them still, only noticing the music, and staring into each other's eyes as if they could see the other's soul bared before them.

xXx

"Do you think they'll ever figure it out?" Narcissa quietly asked a woman standing next to her. The woman had black hair and icy blue eyes that appeared cold due to their colour.

"No, no they won't. No one ever will. You and I are the only ones who will know. Not even Voldemort himself can extract this information." Narcissa quirked an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips at Destiny's words.

"I guess that comes with being one of the three Fates, doesn't it, Sikora?" Narcissa was giving a full out smile now.

"Yes it does, Narcissa. Not even Voldemort has a clue, and that is how we are going to keep it."

"I'm glad you decided to step in. Someone needs to do something to end this war, though I don't see how these two momentarily falling for each other will work. After the music stops, won't their feelings for each other stop as well?" Concern showed on the blonde's face.

"No, Narcissa, it doesn't work like that. All I have done is to allow them to see into each other's souls, without knowing it, of course. It was always written in the stars that these two would be together." The woman's blue eyes never left the couple that was standing in the middle of the room, staring deeply into each other's eyes.

"After tonight, Narcissa, nothing with them will ever be the same. This is what we have waited for. They will save the world without knowing they're doing it." Sikora spoke, and then swept away unnoticed. Narcissa stood there, watching her son with Ginevra and feeling a sense of contentment. They really were meant for each other.

xXx

"This is so tedious," Ginevra complained to Draco as they walked towards yet another couple to shake hands and exchange meaningless pleasantries with them. "I mean, honestly, they have no wish to meet me. They already have convinced themselves of who I am without even getting to know me." A very convincing fake smile was plastered onto Ginevra's face. Draco had never noticed before how much of a spitfire she was, but he found that it was enjoyable, and he agreed with her wholeheartedly.

He found himself wondering- or rather trying to wonder- why he was seeing her in a different light. There almost seemed to be a fog in his mind. All he could conclude was that her real personality was shining through, and it was as attractive as she was. But when he tried to contemplate why her personality was finally coming out, his mind seemed to find more important things to think of, and he finally gave up. After all, if it wasn't the most important thing on his mind, then surely it didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things.

"I swear, after this I will need alcoholic Butterbeer. b**Lots** of it./b Associating with these wretched women. Don't get me started on Pansy Parkinson. Fawning all over every man in this place. Including your father! I thought Narcissa was going to use an Unforgiveable on her. Though that'd be an improvement." Ginevra sniffed, fake smile still in place.

"No, my mother would have done something far worse than that. When Malfoys get revenge, we get revenge. You'll hear some of the stories eventually. Some true, some false… but most true." Draco steered them towards Blaise Zabini and a woman whose face was covered by a curtain of blonde hair.

"This one you'll be pleased to see." Ginevra gave him a confused look, but then the woman let her hood down. It was intriguing to watch Ginevra freeze in place, her eyes going wide and her mouth hanging open. The woman stepped slowly towards Ginevra with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Luna," Ginevra breathed, reaching out a hand to touch the blonde's face.

"Hello, Ginny. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" To anyone who'd known Luna at Hogwarts there was a more mature edge to her voice, as though she'd seen too much too soon, and had been forced to grow up at an incredible rate. Her voice had lost the dream-like quality, although her face still very much held onto it.

Draco watched their silent exchange with interest though he was sure not to let it show on his face. It wouldn't do to have reporters show everything about that evening. Though he was sure the reporters would show his and Ginevra's silent exchange… and maybe that was a good thing.


	6. Chapter 6

"How about this one? It's lovely, isn't it?" Luna's voice held a tinge of awe. Ginny was shopping with Luna and Narcissa in Diagon Alley. Ginny was moving among the racks of dress robes and gowns, not paying particular attention to any one thing. Her mind was deep in thought, trying to figure something out. Something very important.

The ball had been almost a week ago, and Ginny had rarely seen Draco since then. He was off working; apparently he worked for more than just You Know Who. Ginny had been trying to figure out exactly what happened, but her mind couldn't explain it. Whenever she tried to talk to Narcissa about it, the woman looked at her oddly and seemed to change the subject. _Maybe there's something wrong with me._

She looked out the window of the shop, catching sight of someone taking down a "Things Forgotten For School" poster, reminding parents to buy stuff and send it via owl. She paused a moment, her mind working. She'd been with the Malfoys for how long?

"What day is it?" she asked softly.

"The thirteenth of September," Narcissa said while moving among the racks with ease.

It had been almost a month that Ginny had been living at Malfoy Manor, and she was already used to the pattern. She would have thought herself weird if Luna hadn't said she'd adjusted to her new life quite quickly too.

"Evolution," Luna had said, "we have to keep adjusting to new things in life to survive." That was easy to understand, and Ginny found that she did want to survive even though the ache from losing her family was ever present in her heart. Still, she'd gotten one of her closest friends back, and that made life a tad bit easier.

"What does Draco do?" Ginny asked casually, not noticing the way Narcissa's shoulders tensed lightly in response to the question.

"He works on the School's Governor Board making sure the curriculum is up to standard and everything is as it should be. He is only gone in September when he has to survey. The rest is usually done at the Manor. He'll be back soon," Narcissa said, a slight smile playing on her lips. Ginny nodded while fingering through the racks.

"I wonder when Kora will come out of seclusion this year." Luna's tone sounded a bit odd, and Ginny stopped short before continuing to appear to be distracted. She'd barely noticed Kora's absence. Why hadn't she noticed? True, Kora wasn't always talking to her, but she was usually around in the background.

"It shouldn't be too long, poor girl. To do what she did? I could never have done that to my husband." Narcissa shook her head sadly.

"Although Lia wasn't Kora's wife. In fact, Lia had her own husband." Narcissa gasped and Luna nodded solemnly. Ginny felt more confused by the second. _Who the hell is Lia?_

"I never knew that! I thought… she never said… how do you know?" Narcissa was in gossip mode, and for once Ginny desperately wanted to hear what she would have considered trivial at one point in time.

"Kora told me herself when she came to see Blaise. So sad. I don't think she'd have been able to kill Lia otherwise. She found out at the last minute, you know." Ginny's eyes went wide. A Healer killed someone? And to think she had trusted this woman with her life! The thought made her sick to her stomach.

"She should never have gotten involved with a Muggle. A Muggleborn would have been understandable, but a Muggle? And serving the Dark Lord at the same time? Someone was bound to find out. Though that doesn't make it any easier. All the same, she should have known Lia wasn't to be trusted. Muggles rarely are. Oh, isn't this ravishing!" Narcissa exclaimed, and just like that the subject was closed.

Ginny finally knew who Lia was, and the knowledge made her blood run cold.

xXx

Draco hadn't seen Ginevra since the ball, though he'd wanted to desperately. Still, work came first. Besides, Ginevra was just a woman… or so he kept trying to tell himself. He'd briefly seen the paper, and their dance was front page new as he had predicted.

He cleared his head with a shake, walking through the village of Hogsmeade. Soon he would return home, but first he needed to think. Or rather, try to think, which wasn't so easy with hundreds of thoughts running through his mind at the same bloody time.

First there was Ginevra. He was still trying to figure that one out. He felt something for her, that much he knew. And he yearned to talk to her. There just seemed to be something about her since the ball. He couldn't seem to grasp what had changed, besides Ginevra donning a pretty dress and there being music around them.

_It had to be the music,_ he concluded. It had brought something out in them. That was the only logical explanation. Satisfied with this answer, he went on to the next problem in his head.

His evil mother. Oh, she was evil, alright. She wouldn't stop owling him about Kora, telling him how she'd gone into seclusion. That was thrown into the middle of an ordinary letter. He'd be unprepared for it and then, BAM! There it was.

After the owls about Kora came the owls about Ginevra. _She seems to be a bit withdrawn, even with Luna here. She has to be given a calming draught before she can even go out in public among others._ She was playing him like a fiddle, he knew it. Trying to get him to do what she wanted, which was for him to owl both women. Oh, his mother was beyond evil.

Lastly, there was Kora herself, the source of all his trouble, it seemed. Funny that his best friend would be his biggest problem, but she was. He just didn't want to talk to her. They had been best friends, and she'd never mentioned Lia to him. He could have gone to the Dark Lord and found a way to save the girl. If anyone could've done that it would've been Draco. Yet Kora hadn't trusted her best friend to help her. He felt betrayed.

His mother had told him several times that he needed to face his feelings head on, but why? Doing so wouldn't change the fact that Kora hadn't confided in him. The end. Point blank. There was no more to it. There would never be any more to it. And anyone who thought so was a lunatic.

A poor unsuspecting man walking by Draco received a death glare almost as bad as Voldemort's. Draco continued on, not paying attention to where he was going. Where ever it was, he just wanted to get there already.

His feet carried him to Borgin and Burkes, and Draco went inside without questioning why. The new hired help barely looked up at him. Draco would clearly have to talk to Borgin about getting better help. He walked over to the books and picked up _Muggles Who Notice _by Blenheim Stalk. Flipping through it, he decided it might be a good read for Ginevra. His mother had told him in a letter that Ginevra was going through a vast number of books. He tucked it under his arm and walked to the counter. He purchased the book in the most intimidating fashion he could-which was pretty damn good, to say the least- and walked out of the store feeling much better.

His mind wandered into thoughts of making a list of books Ginevra should read, both Muggle and non-Muggle.

She certainly had gone through the Muggle history books quickly enough. He'd have to see how she viewed everything she had read about Muggles. Maybe his task wouldn't be so hard, he thought, as he Apparated home.

xXx

Ginny was in the plush drawing room with Narcissa, elegantly lounging like Narcissa had taught her to do while reading another history book. This one was filled with nothing but statistics on every war in history. It also compared the crime rates in the Muggle and Magical worlds. While Ginny was no Hermione Granger she was still smart enough to be interested in plain facts… and to notice what direction they all seemed to point in. She bit her lip thoughtfully while ideas converged in her head.

"Hello, Mother," a cool voice said, and Ginny looked up, her face flushing slightly. She'd thought about this moment quite a bit in between the shopping and the books, and those damn etiquette lessons Narcissa was giving her. Okay, so she hadn't thought about it too much; she'd tried not to, actually. She had no idea what to say, or if she should even say anything.

"Ginevra?" His voice came, and she looked up.

"Huh?" She cringed as soon as it was off her lips. Narcissa would box her ears for that one.

"I said I brought you a gift." He walked over to her, his hair slightly ruffled from the bit of wind that was outside. His grey eyes bored into her, searching for the same thing she knew she was searching for in his. They were both confused, that much was obvious. But why?

Draco sat down next to her and handed her a book. She took it, slightly bothered that was all it was. She had hoped… so foolish for her to hope that as a prisoner of war she would ever get something from him. She had been lucky to have him treat her the way he had at the ball. She was lucky to even be alive, come to think of it. She fought back memories of her parents. She reserved those for the night, when she could mourn them properly with loud sobs.

"Mother… could I possibly have a moment alone with Ginevra?" Ginny's eyes closed. This was where he would say it'd all been an accident. She would agree with him politely and say that she had been thinking the exact same thing. It all had been for publicity, of course.

Narcissa nodded and walked out of the room briskly with a weird smile on her face. Ginny was beginning to wonder if Narcissa wasn't a tad bit off. The older woman always seemed to smile at the weirdest times…

"Do you like the book?" Draco asked softly, not meeting her eyes. She looked down at the book and thumbed through it.

"Yes, I do. Thank you so much." Ginny forced a smile.

"I was thinking that maybe you could be present for a business meeting of mine tonight." His grey eyes drilled into hers, and she nodded numbly, relief flooding her. This was not what she'd expected.

"That would be lovely," she breathed. He nodded once before getting up and leaving. Ginevra sat there, wondering who he did business with and if she would be able to handle it. Everything was so hard to deal with now. Luna and Narcissa told her that was to be expected. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they called it. Whatever it was, it was hell on her when she had an… episode. Tonight she would have to make sure she didn't. Maybe Narcissa would give her a calming draught.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Due to how long overdue this chapter is, it is a long one. This chapter also has the full approval of Anise. I'm editing chapter eight now, and as I am on break from school, I will be posting new chapters very frequently. Thanks for the patience!

xXx

Draco thanked the Gods above that his mother had insisted on dragging Ginevra to so many stores for various outfits. She would have something perfect for the occasion. It would be elegant but professional, which was much needed since tonight at dinner she would be among several high ranking Death Eaters. She would get to know them as individuals, and he hoped that if she could see past the label, everything would move forward quickly enough.

If he was being completely honest with himself, he also wanted to be around her. But work outweighed fun, and Voldemort outweighed both. But combine all three and you had perfection. He had to spend every available minute wisely if he wanted to come out on top of his task. He could lead to a break through in their world like they'd never seen before. He could get the glory… and maybe even the girl.

He shook his head. The music was gone, so why were those thoughts still there? He sighed, combing his hair in the mirror. Everything had to be just so during a business meeting with Death Eaters, especially when the business surrounded Hogwarts. How he hated the tedious work of his job. It paid well, but he hated all the paperwork that came with it. Too many discussions were going on about what should and shouldn't be kept in the library these days. It was exasperating and hard to keep up with. But as a Malfoy, he had to keep bringing money in. They hadn't gotten where they were today by not working and not making a name for themselves. They would continue to follow through with both.

Draco idly wondered what Ginevra would bring to the plate tonight. Many of the books up for debate in the library were ones she'd been reading. It would be interesting to see the progress she'd made. Undoubtedly, the others would report back to the Dark Lord what she said and did, but the fact that she'd studied most of those books would be a huge point for him. It would show the Dark Lord that he was getting her to open her minds to the thoughts of other people, which was the beginning step to reforming any person. It was all about psychology.

He had studied much on the human brain and other various subjects. Knowledge was more than power; it was a weapon that could dispose of any ignorant fool there was. To understand how you gain knowledge, one has to understand the human psyche. It was all simple, really. He was one of the Elite Death Eaters for a reason. He knew more about almost every field of study than any other Death Eater and was able to do almost any mission. So of course he would have the hardest one.

He checked his watch to see if it was time to meet her. Ah, it was. He took one last look in the mirror before heading out of his room and rapping on her door sharply. She opened her door, and he looked her up and down to make sure her dress was appropriate. She wore a striped cocktail dress, black heels adorned with gems, and a serpent necklace hanging around her neck.

"That outfit is perfect for this event. Nice necklace." He appraised it, and she smiled slightly.

"Your mother picked it out on one of our many excursions."

Draco nodded. Her hair was down, coming to her shoulders lightly. All in all, she had done well. His mother's etiquette classes were going well; that much was obvious.

He was prepared, however, should she have another episode. A calming draught would be slipped into her water should the wine not loosen her nerves enough. Draco wondered if maybe he was doing too much too soon… but he dismissed the thought. He didn't have a large time frame to work in. Not with the Dark Lord doing checkups, anyway, although he should get a reprieve for the front page article Ginevra and he had managed to make. Still, one could never be too careful when it came to the Dark Lord.

As they walked to the dinning room meant for small meetings, Draco discussed who would be attending and where her calming draught would be should she need it. She listened intently, her body somewhat rigid. She was nervous, and that was to be expected. Tonight she would be expected to talk to several of the vilest men for an hour. She couldn't escape from it. Not easily, at least. The prospect would make any non-Death Eater's blood run cold. Maybe even a few Death Eaters as well.

There were no chairs at the head and foot of the table. That would only cause an argument about who should be head. Death Eaters could be so ridiculous sometimes. Some of them at least. Draco pulled Ginevra's chair out for her, watching her as she reached for her wine glass; she was going to try and tough it out herself. Draco idly wondered if she could as he sat next to her in a lazy position, one arm around the back of her chair.

There was also another reason for Draco wanting Ginevra at this meeting. Snape had informed him of a few people who weren't too happy at having Ginevra staying with the Malfoys and living comfortably. A few were so outraged that they wanted her dead. They didn't care if she was a task or not. Tonight, both Draco and Blaise would look into the minds of the Death Eaters and see if any of them bore her any ill will. Draco would make a horrid example out of one of them if he had to.

Every time someone messed with a Malfoy they ended up dead. Ginevra wasn't a Malfoy, but she was his… charge. He had a duty to protect her, and by doing s,o protect himself from the Dark Lord's wrath. He had killed a handful of nameless Death Eaters. They were of lower rank and wanted to make their names known. They never got the chance. The moment they attempted to break into the Manor, they were stunned. Draco cut their heads off and staked them in front of the Manor as a warning to others. The message had come across loud and clear.

Draco sincerely hoped he wouldn't be forced to do the same thing tonight. It was hard to come up with ways of killing that were more over the top than the last. He didn't want to enlist his father's help, as Ginevra was his job, and he was no longer a child who had to run to his father the moment anything came up. As he waited for the men to show up, he decided that he would put off any ideas of grandiose killing until he knew he had to. After all, the men that would be there might be treachery-free.

Snape was the first to enter the room, and he didn't blink as he took the seat across from Ginevra and lounged in the same way Draco had. Snape stared into Ginevra's eyes, and she stared back intently. After a moment, Snape looked away with a rare smile.

"We should train her. She isn't too bad at putting up mental defenses. I'm impressed."

Ginevra's gaze fell to the table, but she relaxed slightly.

"I doubt I'll have the time, Severus. Not for a while, at least. And I do think we should run the idea by the Dark Lord. He might assume that I am trying to deceive him." Draco turned his gaze to Ginevra after he spoke. He heard Snape's mumble of agreement before the door opened and Yaxley walked in.

Draco tilted his head as a way of greeting. It took only a moment before he realized that Yaxley was one of the group that wanted Ginevra dead. If Draco was out of the way, Yaxley would move into the inner circle. Or so the idiot seemed to think. In Draco's opinion, Yaxley was a bumbling buffoon who knew next to nothing about the real Dark Arts. He may have known the Unforgiveables, but Draco knew for a fact that Yaxley's knowledge barely went past what was in the Hogwarts library. Draco, on the other hand, had generations of Dark Arts books at his disposal. He knew of things that would make anyone but Voldemort cower in fear. Draco decided to look through the books to find a suitable death for Yaxley.

"The little bloodtraitor herself," Yaxley said, smirking. "Is she a treat for after the meeting?"

"Only for me," Draco replied smoothly, and Yaxley's smirk faltered into a look of disgust. Ginevra's hands were in her lap at this point, curled into tight fists. Her gaze was firmly on the table, and there was a look on her face that said she was trying not to remember something. This worried Draco. A memory could cause her to freak out at random. He gently pushed the water towards her and she drank it, relaxing immediately.

"Not all of us like to share our things, Yaxley. I do believe Bellatrix reminded you of that once before, didn't she?" Snape questioned innocently to hide what Draco had done. Yaxley's only response was to scowl at the table.

"Speaking of Bellatrix, isn't she supposed to be coming?" Yaxley recovered. Draco lifted an eyebrow. He knew this was meant to worry him. His aunt did enjoy reporting everything back to the Dark Lord, but she was currently in Ireland, taking down their Ministry of Magic.

"Tell me, Yaxley, what Death Eater wasn't aware that Bellatrix was on a mission out of the country? I thought even the lower levels knew." Yaxley was glowering at Draco now. Draco had to admit, he enjoyed pushing people's buttons. Especially ones who deserved it.

Rodolphus Lestrange entered the room, followed by Blaise Zabini. Rodolphus merely glanced at Ginevra. After a quick look into his mind, Draco knew the only one with ill intentions was Yaxley.

When everyone was seated, Draco stood to speak. "Ginevra is here tonight because she has read most of the books that are up for discussion. She can give us her perspective on how she feels the books may influence the students." Yaxley snorted at Draco's comment. Draco was losing his patience with the man, but he reminded himself that soon all the troubles with Yaxley would be over.

Rodolphus nodded. "This could prove to be interesting as well as educational. Does anyone have a list of the books Ginevra has read so far?" Draco had to admit that when it came to business, Rodolphus was level headed. He was always willing to learn. That was one quality Draco appreciated in the brutal man. He was a good Death Eater, though perhaps he went overboard sometimes. But they all did at times.

Draco handed Rodolphus a piece of parchment with the list of books on it. He read over it before passing it to the other men to take a look at. When everyone had read it, Rodolphus turned to Ginevra.

"What is your opinion of these books? What have they taught you?"

Ginevra shifted a bit uncomfortably, took a sip of her water, and then inhaled deeply before speaking. "Upon reading these books I was presented with facts. Facts are emotionless. They show no mercy and do not favor one side over the other. These facts clearly state that Muggles have a higher crime rate, or did until the war. Having read over everything, I cannot help but be of the opinion that…that…they are a danger to us. They have done some great things, and I do think Wizards could implement some of their ideas into our society, with the help of a few select Muggleborns. But for the most part, I am of the opinion that the more Muggles who know about us, the more threatened our way of life becomes."

Ginevra stared into her lap as though she were ashamed of herself for even thinking such a thing. Draco was very impressed with the progress she'd made.

"But," Ginevra started again with a pleading look on her face, "I'm sure that if extra precautions were taken, Muggleborns could safely be brought into our world. I… I'm not sure how, but I know there must be a way. We can't let someone run around the Muggle world doing random bits of magic for all to see, and we can't deny our society the advances that they might bring. I feel that there is somewhere a balance that we could find. A way to stop all the deaths going on." Ginevra was shaking and tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"She may very well have a point," Blaise said. Rodolphus nodded in agreement as well as Snape, and Yaxley silently seethed. No surprise there.

"If those books could bring her to that opinion, that may well be the intended curriculum for the Muggle Studies class. Severus, what do you think?" Rodolphus asked, peering at the man in question.

"As Headmaster, I think that with the right teacher we could very well do just that. Those books should be kept in the library. I suggest we give the rest of the books in question to Ginevra and allow her to read over them. Depending on her progress, I may look into hiring her next year. It would help the students greatly to hear someone who has seen both sides tell them what the truth is. I will speak to the Dark Lord about this." Snape nodded at her.

"But… I can't teach at Hogwarts. I don't have a wand." Ginevra sniffed sadly. Draco could only imagine the pain she was feeling from being without a wand for so long.

"If you came to teach at Hogwarts, you would get a wand. There are enough wards that you could not leave. There would be only advantages, should the Dark Lord decide that it is a smart move."

Ginevra's eyes widened at Snape's words, and there was a hunger in them. "I would love that…" she whispered softly. Snape gave a curt nod.

"Draco, I will give you the list of books. I do believe that once she has read the extensive list of books up for questioning, we should meet again to discuss the matter. It could take months, Ginevra. I expect you to take notes, as each book should be analyzed separately," Snape ordered and she nodded.

"I do believe that settles this meeting, gentlemen?" Draco asked. They all agreed and filed out, except for Blaise, whom Draco motioned to stay.

"It's Yaxley," Draco stated simply, when it was just Blaise, Ginevra, and him. Ginevra looked on in confusion. Draco wasn't going to inform her of the trouble. No one would be able to hurt her, and it would only make her mental health worse to know of it. The problem would be solved, and hopefully, Ginevra would never have to know about any of this.

"Would you like help in… sorting this problem out?" Blaise asked casually. Draco nodded, glad his friend was one of the smarter Death Eaters. He always caught on to Draco's silent signals.

"Perhaps tonight? I was thinking Luna could spend the night with Ginevra. Women are supposed to like sleepovers. Besides, I'm sure Ginevra is anxious to share the news with her best friend." Draco glanced over to her as he spoke, and she nodded excitedly.

"Well, then that settles the matter. I'll have Luna round up some of her things. Maybe your mother might even wish to join in. I'll come by with her in an hour or two if that is alright with you?" Draco nodded to Blaise, who walked out of the room upon seeing the nod.

"Draco," Ginevra said softly. "What problem is there?" Draco paused before allowing a small smile to grace his face.

"Nothing that you need to worry about. Now, let's see if there isn't a bigger room that you and Luna might want to stay in. Get everything gathered up for the two of you—or three, if my mother wishes."

Ginevra beamed. She was excited at the prospect of sharing the news with the one person who would understand completely her feelings about the situation.

Draco watched her walk out, thinking that he hadn't lied to her. There really was nothing for her to worry about.

xXx

Narcissa had excitedly consented to having a girl's night with Ginny and Luna. The two women bustled around a guest room that had four beds in it, as well as a ton of fun girl things that Narcissa had stored in the room, should she ever have had a girl. The two women were giggly, and Narcissa was excited for Ginny as she yammered on about possibly getting a wand.

"Luna!" Ginny exclaimed as she raced into her best friend's arms. "Snape said I might be able to get a wand! I never had a wand of my very own before. I might even be able to become a teacher at Hogwarts. Isn't that amazing?"

She couldn't believe that this might all be possible. To have a wand in her hand again would be the most amazing thing in the world. Being without a wand was the worst thing in the world for any witch or wizard. Losing a wand was like losing part of yourself. Magic was so ingrained into the wizarding world that losing a wand was like losing part of yourself. One never truly got used to it, though they learned to cope as best as possible. To have a wand in her hand again would be the most amazing thing in the world.")

"Blaise told me. That's great for you, Gin. Blaise and I have been talking about getting another wand for me. You Know Who said he'd think about it. Severus would have to look through my mind to make sure I'm not planning anything secret. The prospect of having a wand again is beautiful, isn't it?" Luna's voice held a slightly dreamy tinge at the thought of it.

Ginny was amazed that Luna might be getting a wand back, and she wondered if there was more to her relationship with Blaise then Ginny knew. Ginny decided that tonight would be the night to find out.

"That's great, Luna," Ginny forced out. She couldn't deny that she was a bit jealous that her friend might get a wand before her. But then Ginny was jealous every time she saw someone holding a wand. Thankfully, she rarely saw one, except for her etiquette lessons with Narcissa. Narcissa liked to use her wand as a ruler during the lessons. Ginny winced slightly at the thought.

"Ladies" Blaise said as he entered the room. "Draco and I have some business to take care of tonight. And by business, I mean we don't want to hear a bunch of giggling girls all night. You'd think Narcissa was a teenager sometimes, as excited as she gets." Blaise winked at Narcissa and the older woman laughed good-naturedly.

"I do like to feel young again sometimes, Blaise dear. Besides, girl stuff is fun to talk about. Maybe you should join us some day. We'd love to give you a makeover."

Blaise's eyes widened in horror at Narcissa's words. "No thank you. This is where I take my leave." Blaise walked in to give Luna a peck on the cheek before giving a small wave and walking out.

As soon as he'd closed the door, Ginny couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you having sex with Blaise?" Luna stared in shock for a moment. Narcissa hesitated before bursting into laughter.

"This is definitely going to be a good night," Narcissa said quietly, and then more loudly, she said, "I think before we start on this subject, we could do with a fruity drink. What do you girls say?" Ginny had to smile. Narcissa looked so much younger with the mischievous look in her eyes.

"This coming from the woman who beats me with a wand in etiquette lessons?" Ginny smiled and Narcissa put her hands on her hips.

"I will have you know that I was infamous for hosting parties in the Slytherin common room for any and every occasion. Our head of house at the time was Slughorn, and he eventually gave up on trying to keep us quiet. I was the Slytherin belle, as well as the best last minute party planner. And I could sneak in the Firewhisky." Narcissa winked, and Ginny and Luna laughed.

Ginny found it interesting to learn more about who Narcissa had once been. Ginny realized how easy it was to see that teenager in Narcissa when she laughed. Usually she saw Narcissa as a wife and- in a weird way- a mother figure to herself. She never saw the woman just have fun, but then she'd been keeping to herself a lot lately when she wasn't busy.

Ginny had discovered that constantly reading helped ward off the memories. Some were too terrible to even remember. They clawed at her mind fiercely when she wasn't busy with something. Ginny would read until late in the night, when the words finally blurred together and she passed out from exhaustion. She refused to think of the prison. It only ever caused awful crying episodes.

"Barry," Narcissa called, and the house-elf appeared. "Get us three Pina Coladas with extra rum in them, and keep Batty away from the rum! That house-elf would drink himself into a stupor if he could." The house-elf left with a faint popping sound. A moment later, he was back with the three drinks.

"Bring all the foods I used to eat when I was pregnant as well." Once again the elf disappeared.

"Now," Narcissa said, sipping her drink. Ginny copied her, pleased to discover that the drink was delicious. "The question of the moment, is are you sleeping-"

"Or not sleeping, as it may be-" Ginny inserted.

"With Blaise," Narcissa finished. "I have been wondering that myself lately. You never did spend time in the prison. Blaise took you right after Potter fell, as a reward for taking down so many people." At this statement Ginny's insides churned, and she took a deeper sip. It was more of a gulp, really. She hated to think of all her friends that she had seen fall. It was too much to bear.

"Since a month after I started living with him," Luna said, evoking gasps from the two other women.

"Well, then you two might as well get married. Quit living in sin, already," Ginny said in a playfully stern voice, and Luna laughed.

"Blaise was talking about us getting married just the other day, actually. I told him if he wanted me to marry him, he better get me a gaudy, expensive ring. He thought I was serious. I'm worried to see what he comes up with now."

Narcissa gave half a laugh. "I'll take care of it, don't worry. Lucius tried that with me. I like diamonds as next as the much woman, but I do have class. The only place you can wear heavy jewels well is your neck. Otherwise, you look like an idiot." Ginny had to admit, Narcissa was right when she had class. She doubted there was a woman classier than Narcissa.

"Where are Draco and Blaise?" Ginny asked. The other two women just looked at each other for a moment.

"The thing you must never forget, Ginevra, is that you live with Death Eaters. Sometimes it's better not to know where they are or what they are doing. They kill, and they will always kill when they feel necessary. At the same time, you must remember that they will always keep us safe. Living with a Death Eater is no easy feat. Loving one is even harder." Narcissa's voice was soft and sad. Luna simply nodded her head in agreement.

Ginny wondered what these women had to live with on a day to day basis for all these years. Her heart ached for them. This upset her. That only meant more pain to carry around, and she was tired of pain.


	8. Chapter 8

"Sometimes I think you're very overdramatic, Draco," Blaise told him as they approached Yaxley's… shack? Really, it could hardly be called a house when even a cheap flat was larger. Draco sneered. If only Yaxley didn't spend his money on whores, he might have been able to make it higher up the social ladder.

Blaise's statement had been issued in response to Draco's question of just how they should kill Yaxley. Draco was going to use a spell to drain the man of his blood and use said blood to write 'You Will Not Touch Her' on Yaxley's… shack. Then they could send an organ to each of the people who had sided with him. Draco was considering what to do with the body. Perhaps leave it on a light post in Knockturn Alley, if he could get away with it…

"It may be dramatic, but it will get the problem taken care of," Draco replied, and Blaise nodded, giving him that.

"We should leave his body outside the prison. That way, everyone will see it, and know to steer clear."

Draco paused at Blaise's suggestion."You're brilliant, mate. I swear, we may never top this one."

"Draco, you say that every time we kill someone grotesquely, and we always come up with better ways when one of our families is threatened. Besides, I think you underestimate us… or at least me, anyway." Blaise smirked, and Draco chuckled.

"Narcissa has been hounding me to get you to talk to Kora… but I won't. A real friend would've told you what was going on. I don't blame you," Blaise told Draco.

Draco nodded gratefully. He could always count on Blaise to understand where he was coming from. Not many people knew Blaise and he were close, but then again, people really knew nothing of the Malfoys. What people knew of the Malfoys was what the Malfoys presented purposely. Everything else was kept to themselves.

"You ready?" Blaise asked as they reached the door. Draco nodded and rapped on the ugly door smartly. It took a moment before they heard shuffling, and then Yaxley opened the door a small bit.

"We have business to discuss. Business that was not safe to mention in front of the others. May we come in?" Blaise asked, and Yaxley nodded with greedy eyes. He thought he was finally getting in on something big, and in a way he was, for this would be big for several weeks, possibly even months.

Draco liked to think that every life he took had meaning. Not the life itself, but the act of taking it. Every time he took a life, there was a good reason for it, and reasons meant something to him. He was protecting his family or keeping the world safe. That's how he viewed his killings. There was never a single case where he killed for no reason. He supposed that was why he was in the inner-circle. He believed in justice, and he delivered it. There was a rhyme and reason to everything he did, and that gave him satisfaction. If you didn't have reasons for your killings, then you turned into his Aunt Bella, and that was not a prospect he liked in the least.

As Draco stepped into Yaxley's shack, he sneered in disgust. It was filthy. Everything was covered thickly in dust. If people didn't have house-elves, they should learn to clean for themselves. Draco had learned cleaning charms himself and knew for a fact that they weren't too hard. There was no excuse for someone to live in this filth.

"Yaxley, we're here because we know exactly what you're trying to do," Blaise said, placing his foot on a makeshift table. "You're trying to get a group together to kill Ginevra. That just won't do, Yaxley."

"Incarcerous!" Draco yelled. Ropes tied around Yaxley, binding him so he couldn't act against them. He was defenseless, and that was how Draco wanted him to be.

"So, Yaxley, are you going to tell us who is supporting this idea of yours? Or do we have to get it from you ourselves?" Blaise's voice was calm, as though they were discussing something as simple and meaningless as the weather.

Yaxley looked terrified, and he had every reason to. It was quite well known how ruthless Blaise and Draco were when they teamed together.

"Are you going to make this easy for us, Yaxley? Or are you going to make it hard? This is your choice." Draco was as calm on the surface as Blaise, though inside he was seething. He was so glad he had a reason to eliminate him. The Dark Lord had long been considering it himself. Yaxley wouldn't be missed by anyone.

Yaxley remained quiet. That irritated Draco.

"Crucio," Draco said quietly. Yaxley's screams were blood-curdling. Draco knew the pain this piece of shit was feeling, and for once he was glad of that. He wanted Yaxley to feel pain. He wanted him to burn in his own body. Unfortunately, Draco wouldn't be able to actually set him on fire, not if he wanted to go along with the original plan.

Draco could easily get the information from that man's mind. It wouldn't have been a hard feat at all. In fact, he actually already had the names, but Yaxley need not know that.

"Please," the man cried when Draco ended the curse, "they're all lower levels. They don't matter!" Draco sighed. This was going to take all night.

xXx

At three in the morning, Ginny woke from a nightmare in which Hermione had been raped in front of her on the floor of the cold, hard prison. Except the dream had seemed more like a memory than the dream it was. But that was impossible. Surely she would remember such a terrible event like that happening in front of her. How could she ever forget that? No, just a nightmare, she assured herself. She decided a nice walk to the kitchen would do her good. Maybe she'd even sit out on one of the balconies and enjoy the unseasonably cool September weather.

She padded softly past the two sleeping women, not wishing to disturb them. Just because she couldn't enjoy a long night's sleep didn't mean that others had to suffer with her. As she walked down the hall, she found herself wondering two things: if the house-elves had Butterbeer, and if she was going in the right direction. From the outside, the Manor was charmed to look smaller than what it was. Once inside, the person found themselves in a maze of hallways. This would help against intruders, though Ginny doubted the wards would allow an intruder to even come close.

Ginny stopped in her tracks and sighed. She'd been thinking so much about the size of the Manor that she'd ended up lost. She knew she could call a house-elf, but they were most likely all asleep too. Besides, after being friends with Hermione she hated the prospect of treating them like servants. They had feelings, after all.

So Ginny stood there, taking in her surroundings. If she could get back to her own room that was across from Draco's, she was positive she would be able to find the kitchen. She surveyed the portraits around her, but all the occupants were asleep. She wondered idly how boring the life of a portrait must be, and made up her mind to talk to them some time. Surely they had feelings just as house-elves did.

Ginny knew that being in prison had softened her. It would do that to anyone. Though she wouldn't mind throwing a hex or two at certain people if she had a wand. But those people more than deserved it in Ginny's mind- like the Death Eaters that enjoyed raping women. As she walked in the direction that she hoped was her room, she decided that a long, hot soak in the bath would also be nice. Then she would get that Butterbeer.

She idly wondered if Draco's bathroom was larger than hers. Narcissa did say that Draco would be out until noon tomorrow most likely, and everyone was asleep…Lucius apparently was in hiding from the ecstatic women…yes, she would see whose bathroom was bigger, and maybe snoop a bit. Sometimes curiosity got the best of Ginny Weasley. Okay, if she was honest with herself, most times curiosity got the best of her. She blamed growing up with six brothers. How could she not be curious?

The only problem was getting to Draco's room. It would be the same as getting to her room, but since she was utterly lost, none of that knowledge helped her in any way. She really didn't want to wake the portraits. They could be dreadfully spiteful when mad. On top of that, since they were most likely all Malfoys, they would be even worse than a normal portrait. Her mind was telling her that she really should've just called a house-elf. But Ginny Weasley was determined to be self-sufficient. If she would be teaching at Hogwarts like she hoped, she couldn't very well rely on everyone else to do things for her. She would just have to use her common sense to figure this out… and possibly a portrait would point her in the right direction.

She told herself that as long as the portrait didn't take her all the way to the kitchens, then she was indeed being self-sufficient. Besides, it was not like she could easily follow one. It was so dark that she could barely see her feet, and she had to squint to make anything out.

"Oh, bloody hell!" she growled. A candle in one of the portraits came on.

"I do say, that language is quite inappropriate for a young lady." The speaker was a man that looked to be in his late hundreds. He didn't have the appearance of the contemporary Malfoys at all, which made her wonder if he even was a Malfoy, or just a random portrait hanging in the hall.

"Now, what seems to be the cause of such awful language?" he asked- no- demanded of her.

"I'm lost. I can't find my bedroom, and it's so dark and huge in here." Ginny was looking at her feet as she spoke, feeling like she'd been lectured by a teacher.

"Why not just have one of the night-elves escort you? They can show you how to always find your room from this place using your wand." He was looking at her suspiciously.

"I don't have a wand. I'm a prisoner of war. The Malfoys have taken me in… kind of… and I didn't know there were night-elves. I've only ever seen one house-elf," Ginny said in her defense. The man's face softened.

"Ah, you are Ginevra Weasley. I am Edward Malfoy. I was born in the 1800s. I can help you find the house-elf quarters, though it's a bit of a walk. Your room is much further, though. Shall we go?"

Ginny nodded, grateful for some form of help, the idea of being self-sufficient leaving her mind. It wasn't as though she could do that much for herself in a magical house without a wand anyway.

"So you've heard of me?" she asked Edward, and he nodded as he walked through the portraits, ignoring their grumbling.

"Everyone here has heard of you. The woman with destiny in her."

Ginny frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand."

"Child, there is a reason why you are the only female Weasley in a century. A female only comes when she is needed for great things. Surely you know of this? No?" he asked, and Ginny shook her head. "Well, being a portrait helps you see more than what living human beings do. You have destiny in you. You can become something great if you so choose, and if you follow the path set before you."

"I think you must have mistaken me for someone else. I have nothing left, not even a wand. My life is dictated by those around me. I have little say in anything." That was the cold hard truth that Ginny tried never to think on. Everyone gave her assignments to complete that she couldn't turn down. She was still a prisoner, and the Malfoys her guards.

"It may not seem like you have much say now, but someday you may. With that attitude, you never will. It only takes one person's thoughts to change the world. Surely you must have read up on Muggle history. Everything, good and bad, always started with one person."

Ginny wondered if he could be right, if she could really become someone.

"But how will I know which path to take?"

"You won't. Anything can throw you off the course of your destiny. That's the thing about destiny; it doesn't always happen. Some people have great destines that they never fulfill because they got off a course they didn't know they were even on. Life is a strange thing. One never knows how it will turn out. There are so many possibilities. It's a beautiful mess." Edward spoke so fondly of destiny that Ginny couldn't help but start to believe him.

"Well, here we are, Ms. Weasley. One of the night-elves will be more than happy to assist you."

Ginny thanked him and stood outside the door for a while. She thought that maybe she should just go back to bed. Suddenly, she no longer was thirsty, and just longed for sleep.

That should have been the end of the night, but as Edward had told her, every action can change the course of your destiny. Ginny spent a long time standing outside the house-elf quarters, thinking on what Edward had told her. Narcissa had been wrong about when Draco would come home, and he had decided at the last moment that he'd like to go to the night-elves and have them fix some tea for him before he took a nice hot bath.

Of course the two crossed paths, as destiny would have it (she intervenes on herself so very much, as she likes to change her mind), and Ginny saw Draco as he saw her. Except she wasn't covered from head to toe in blood, and Draco was. Had Draco not come home once before covered in blood like this, Ginny might have been able to keep her cool, though she would have been very shaky. But because things had happened the way they did, Ginny was not able to keep her cool.

"Oh… my… God!" Ginny screamed, backing up against the wall. Draco rushed toward her, intending to calm her down while telling her it wasn't his blood, but his plan didn't work.

"Don't come near me! Don't touch me!" She slid down into a sitting position. Sobs were racking her body and she felt very much like being sick. Suddenly, a memory shot through her mind.

i_Ron had been dragged from the prison hours before, and they all waited anxiously for his return, praying to a God they weren't sure existed. Ron came into sight, covered in blood from head to toe. Before they could say anything, he told them it wasn't his blood. Ginny's stomach dropped._

_Ron told them how he had been forced to torture Susan Bones until she told the Death Eaters what she knew. It was that, or Ginny would be raped… in front of them. That was the day Ginny became unresponsive. Her own brother had been turned into a murderer. Ginny would have taken being raped a hundred times over hearing this news. She could never look at him the same way again./I_

"He killed her. My brother killed her…" Ginny's voice trailed off. How could she have ever forgotten that? The sight of Ron had made her so sick. Ginny couldn't help but wonder what else she'd forgotten.

"How could I not remember?" she asked, looking to Draco. She told herself that this sight should not surprise her. She knew who and what he was. Still, it made her stomach churn wildly.

"You've suppressed the memories. You didn't want to remember, but eventually you will remember everything that you've suppressed."

"Who did you kill?" Her voice was soft, and she was looking at the floor, worried it was someone she knew. Draco stood there a moment, clearly contemplating if he should tell her or not.

"Yaxley." His voice was even as he said it, no sign of guilt or remorse lurking in it. Draco flicked his wand and the torches on the wall lit up. The sight of him was worse than she had originally thought.

"Why?"

"Because he was planning how to kill you."

Narcissa's words floated into her mind. _iThey kill, and they will always kill when they feel necessary. At the same time you must remember that they will always keep us safe./i_ Draco was doing what he had to do in order to keep her safe.

"Why did he want to kill me?"

"Partly because he kills for the fun of it, but mostly because you're a bloodtraitor, and he thinks you should die no matter what the Dark Lord says." Draco's voice was once again calm and even.

"Will He be angry at you for killing Yaxley?" Worry tinged Ginny's voice.

"No. He wanted you alive for a reason, and Yaxley was becoming of no use anymore. He will not care."

Ginny nodded, still staring at her feet.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't think you'd be up." For the first time that night(or morning rather), his voice was tinged with regret.

"I had a nightmare and wanted to go to the kitchen, but I got lost. Then I met Edward Malfoy, who told me there were night-elves and brought me here. I realized that I really didn't want anything, and was wondering if I should just go back to bed." She rambled on, knowing she sounded like an idiot.

"Maybe you could have a Butterbeer with me, and I'll show you back to the room you were in," he said, as though it would be perfectly normal to do this while he was covered in blood.

"Only if you take off that shirt first."

He promptly began to unbutton the shirt. The blood had soaked through in a few places, leaving stains on his skin. He waved his wand, and the blood easily disappeared. Ginny ached for a wand at the sight of his. She also ached for him as her eyes once again took in the scars that had been her fault.

Ginny slowly got up, shaking badly. Her feet barely kept her standing, and she had to reach for Draco to keep from falling. He put his arm around her and helped keep her steady while steering her into the night-elves' quarters. At their arrival, a small elf ran up to them with a toothy grin.

"What can I get Master?" the elf asked excitedly.

"Two alcoholic Butterbeers, and don't let Batty figure out what you're getting."

The elf nodded and scurried off while Draco guided Ginny to a small table.

"It will get easier, you know. Dealing with the memories coming back and the trauma of what went on down there, I mean," Draco said, while opening the two Butterbeers the small elf had deposited before running off again.

As Draco handed Ginny hers, she replied, "I don't see how it ever can get easier, or how the nightmares will ever stop plaguing me. I don't think this hole in my heart will ever close up. How can it? I lost everyone dear to me besides Luna. My heart aches every second of the day, and I mourn them. They say time heals all wounds, but this is more than a wound. This is like getting used to losing an arm. Does anyone ever really get used to it?" She stared at the bottle, her fingers running across the cold surface before she took a sip.

"You'll never forget them. That's impossible. And you will always miss them, but eventually you will find something else to live for. Look at Luna and Blaise." Draco was watching Ginny intently and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Yes, but you do have to admit that Luna has always been different." She took a gulp of her drink.

"Be that as it may, she was still in Ravenclaw for a reason, and she was first in her year. Give credit where credit is due. She knows a few things that you don't. Maybe talking to her might help. She knows part of what you're going through."

There was a small window in the quarters and she looked out of it while speaking. "What if I don't want to talk about it?"

"Then you will never get your wand back, and you will never be able to teach at Hogwarts. They would view you as a risk, a hazard. You could snap at any moment. That is why you have to deal with it, or it will control the rest of your life."

Ginny thought back to what Edward said about every choice affecting the outcome of the future, and she wondered if this was one of those bigger choices.

"Life is no fairytale, Ginevra. Everyone goes through suffering and pain, whether they admit it or not. Everyone has their own demons to fight. If you give up fighting, you give up living." Draco's voice was oddly soft. Ginny felt very much at ease, which is likely what prompted her to ask what she did.

"Could I talk to you instead of to Luna?"

Draco stared at her for a moment, an odd expression on his face. Slowly, he nodded, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing why she was doing it.

"I think I might like to go back to bed now," she said quietly. Draco simply nodded. She was able to get up much more easily than before. As they walked towards the room where Narcissa and Luna were lying asleep, they talked.

"Did you know that in his day Edward Malfoy was considered one of the best Seers?"

Ginny hadn't known that, but for some reason it didn't seem to take her by surprise. "That makes sense. He kept talking about destiny to me. I suppose I should have known."

"He rarely talks to anyone. Consider it an honour that he talked to you. You may never see him again. He switches portraits so much and talks to so few that some generations think him a myth."

Ginny considered this. "I wondered why he talked to me, then."

"You may never know, Ginevra. Then again, you may very well discover it if your future pans out the way he thinks it will. I don't pretend to understand much about it, so I can't tell you anything one way or another." Draco stopped at a door and Ginny realized they were at the bedroom. Before she knew what was happening, Draco brushed his lips against her forehead before whispering goodnight. As he walked away, Ginny wondered just what her future would hold for her.


	9. Chapter 9

After that night (or morning), the rest of September and half of October seemed to fly by. One day, Ginny realized that she was laughing more than usual. She wasn't sure when it had started, but started it had. The Manor seemed to be so much fuller of life. Or perhaps it always had been, and Ginny had just never taken part in it.

She kept Edward's words in her mind, often repeating them to herself when she felt particularly weak. Dealing with her memories was harder than she thought it would be, but she knew it was necessary. She was determined to not allow anything to control her. Due to this attitude, as often as the manor was full of gayness and laughing, it was also full of the screams and cries of the youngest and only remaining Weasley.

She had discovered that her dream had not been a dream, and Hermione really had been raped in front of her. The rapist? Yaxley himself. For once, Ginny was glad Draco had disposed of him. The stories of how he had done it eventually reached her ears, but by then she felt he deserved it.

She studied and made notes on the books Snape had assigned, usually in the presence of Draco. She found that she loved his opinion on things and usually turned to him when she didn't know what to think. He hadn't kissed her in any way since he'd said goodnight that one time, and Ginny found herself wishing he would. Yet at the same time, she was scared. She wasn't sure she could handle it. Touching someone in anyway just seemed so intimate, and she shied away from people when they got too close. Draco said that this too would pass, and she believed him.

Narcissa was always whirling around the manor now, and Ginny found herself caught up in the woman's love for shopping and redecorating. Narcissa, Luna, and Ginny had sleepovers several times more. Ginny found herself cherishing these moments when she felt wholly normal. Not knowing who had given her the diary, Ginny was able to stand being around Lucius. He often sought out her company after he found out about her chat with Edward Malfoy. While Edward never showed himself to Ginny when anyone else was around, he did stop her often and ask how she was doing, before popping away into another portrait.

Life was far from perfect, but Ginny thought this might be as close as she would get for a long time, so she let herself roll with it. There were times when she would have a minor setback, but she worked through it with the help of everyone around her. And though the pain in her chest was still there, she found herself better able to cope with it at times. All in all, life was okay, and really, what more could anyone ask for?

"We have to plan the Halloween Ball," Narcissa said calmly over breakfast one morning. This was when Ginny discovered there was indeed more that she could ask for. Like there not being a Halloween Ball, for one. Ginny had discovered that every year Voldemort attended the Malfoy's Halloween Ball, and this prospect made her blood run cold.

"I won't be attending," she had told Narcissa calmly.

"Why ever not?" Narcissa had asked with an edge to her voice.

"Maybe because a memory of his sixteen year old self preserved in a diary not only tried to kill me and suck out my soul in my first year, but also possessed me, and on top of that, kissed me. No, I refuse to go. I will off myself if I have to." Ginny thought her threat was a good one. Apparently Narcissa didn't. She argued tooth and nail with Ginny, telling her that if she were to attend, she could face this memory head on and not be controlled by it.

When Narcissa discovered that tactic wouldn't work, she spent a day walking around the Manor crying. When asked why she'd loudly say that Ginny had doomed them all to a slow, terrible death. Ginny refused to go until Narcissa charmed all the furniture to jump out and trip her whenever she walked by. Ginny finally relented, and Narcissa was the victor.

This was how Ginny came to be shopping with Draco for a stupid costume. Narcissa had ordered that they match. Ginny thought it was stupid. Draco agreed. But his mother was a mad woman at times, and neither dared object to it. Ginny had just secured bruise ointment to hide the damage done to her by the furniture, but the pain still lingered. Evil blonde woman.

So Draco and Ginny were presented with the problem of trying to find matching costumes halfway through October.

"We should say fuck it and dress as Muggles," Draco grumbled for what must have been the twentieth time that day.

"If you don't shut up! Do I look like I want furniture attacking me again?" Ginny asked fiercely. They were both incredibly annoyed at the situation, though Ginny's annoyance was a cover for the fear that shook her to the very core. She couldn't begin to imagine spending a few hours in the presence of Voldemort. He was the man who had nearly killed her. He was responsible for the deaths of everyone she loved. If it weren't for him, she would have a good life. Being with Harry would have been easy. Now, there was no chance of that.

She breathed deeply. She didn't want her mind to go down that path. That would only mean another attack and having one in public was not a good idea. Ginny focused on the costume of a Muggle Rockstar that was in front of her. She paid attention to the outrageous details. It was a male costume, and the male in question was wearing heels, earrings, and a lot of makeup. In Ginny's opinion, he looked like a woman. She squinted. Maybe he was a woman. But then why did it say that it was a man's costume? Unless the costume was a man dressing like a Woman Rockstar. Yes, that was it.

Ginny's technique had worked very effectively. She'd been using it since Narcissa had told her about the ball. Draco would disapprove, but it was the only way she could stay sane. She turned her attention back towards Draco, who was now looking at her with a weird expression on his face.

"I'm not wearing that," he stated.

"I didn't expect you to. I was just trying to figure out if it was a man or a woman. Which do you think?"

Draco made some noncommittal noise, and Ginny nodded.

She looked around the shop and sighed. They had tons of costumes, but none that caught her interest. Some showed too much skin, others showed so little she'd be sure to die from heat stroke, and then some just looked too hideous to be seen in. She wouldn't have minded the hideous ones so much if she thought she might live after wearing them. Narcissa would be sure to kill her if she showed up in anything less than spectacular.

Ginny was about to give up and just face Narcissa's doom when two costumes caught her eye. It was obvious some couple had been thinking of buying them, and then just hung them up side by side when they decided against it.

"This is perfect," she breathed, walking towards the costumes. She had read the story of The Warlock's Hairy Heart a hundred times as a child. It had been her favorite story. Her parent's had worried about her love of such a strange story, but she couldn't stand any story but that one.

She grabbed both costumes so she could look critically over it. It had to be perfect. Both costumes had the blood stains needed. The female one was charmed to show her chest hacked open and missing a heart. The male's was charmed to show a hairy heart that appeared to be fighting to hold onto the inside of the wearer's body. The heart of the woman was charmed to float above the palm of the male.

"That's hideous," Draco sneered.

"No, it's perfect. You're just mad because you have to have a hairy heart."

In truth, the costumes were gorgeous. The gown for Ginny was beautiful and flowing like a wedding dress. Draco's was perfect for a rich snob, which he was. Ginny shoved the costume into his arms. There was a moment where he tried to protest, and she told him to just try the damn thing on. By the time he walked to the fitting room, both were glaring and it had only been a thirty second argument.

Draco took what seemed to be five minutes to get the darn thing on. Ginny was growing more worked up by the second. It must not fit. Her heart was already breaking. The one thing she wanted, and he was struggling to get it on. Then he walked out and Ginny was perfectly happy. The fit was just right. When she deemed him done, he went to take it off as she went to try hers on.

Though it had taken him an eternity to put his on, and Ginny only a minute to put hers on, he was standing ready when she walked out. For a long moment, he said nothing. He just looked at her, motioned for her to turn around, and then walked around her.

"I think it really is a wedding dress…" Draco sounded thoughtful. Ginny had to admit it did feel real, but this was probably charmed. A random passerby stopped to say it looked great on her, and Ginny promptly decided that these were the perfect costumes for them. Luckily for Draco, he didn't argue. If he had, Ginny most likely would've resorted to fist throwing. As Draco purchased their costumes, Ginny looked longingly out the window.

"You haven't gone anywhere in a while, have you?" Draco's brows were furrowed. A first for him. Ginny shook her head.

"Well, let's go window shopping."

Ginny was glad to be walking down Diagon Alley. It had been a month since she'd left the Manor. She was constantly either reading or dealing with her disorder, and no one bothered to disturb her to see if she'd like to go somewhere. Even a place as big as the Manor could feel like prison if you weren't allowed out into the real world every now and then.

When Ginny had come with Narcissa to shop, it had always been during the week when everyone was working, but today was Saturday, so everyone was out. It also seemed like everyone was staring at her. She hadn't noticed it in the costume shop, but it was an expensive costume shop and not many people could afford it. However, she was now on the street where everyone could see her, and they were seeing her. Some people even stopped to gawk.

"Ignore them. They are staring because you are out here with me. Play along," he said as he grabbed her hand, intertwining her fingers with his. Ginny knew that was only partly the truth. If you combined that with the fact that she was the last remaining Weasley due to the fact that her entire family had been killed by Death Eaters, then that would explain the stares. When Ginny actually looked, she realized some of the stares were appraising, some were murderous, and some simply gawking.

Ginny was strongly resisting the urge to pull her hand out of Draco's. Instead, she focused on the sensation. His hand was rather warm, and he was rubbing circles across the back of her hand with his thumb. She concentrated on that feeling, and it soothed her enough to pay attention to what was in the windows of the shops.

"Oh, Draco!" she gasped, pulling him by his hand to the Quidditch store. It had been so long since Ginny had ridden a broom. This one in the window claimed to just have been released. The Firebolt 3000. This broom was aerodynamically the best on the market. Not only that, but it was also visually the best. The tail was the color of a flame, and the handle was black and silver. Tears welled up in Ginny's eyes as she took in the broom, sure she'd never be allowed to ride again.

xXx

Draco watched Ginevra carefully. The broom had certainly distracted her from the crowd. She had lost her wand and even the pleasure of flying. To someone who loved Quidditch, not being able to fly was pure hell. In a way, she was in hell. Sure, it was a more comfortable hell, but it was still a hell.

The only time Ginevra could do magic was when she woke up from one of her nightmares, but that was uncontrollable magic. A trained witch cannot perform magic without a wand like a child can. It's been ingrained into their very blood.

Draco had no idea what to do. There was no way in hell he could let her fly it. She would take off no matter what. Eventually, she would try to come back as there would be nowhere else to go, but the Manor was unplottable. She would never find her way back. Even if she made an Unbreakable Vow to not go anywhere away from the Manor, the thrill and feel of freedom would take over her mind. He couldn't very well hand her a child's broom either. That wouldn't even get her off the ground. Flying with two people on one broom was dangerous for anything other than slow flights(contrary to those famed idiotic books), and he knew she would not want a slow flight. She wanted the adrenaline rush that came with flying, and he didn't know how to give it to her.

"One day," he quietly promised her, and he meant it. He _iwould/i _figure something out so that she could fly. There had to be a way. He made a mental note to owl different broom makers. With the right amount of money, he was sure one of them could produce what he was starting to picture in his mind.

Ginevra nodded and blinked back a few tears before walking on to the next shop window, her hand still intertwined with his. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, trying to convey words he wasn't sure he could say. There was no way to express what he was feeling. Imagine the way a painter would feel after losing both of his arms. How can you say anything to that? You can't because there is nothing to say. Even if there was, Draco wouldn't have been able to say it. Slytherins weren't good at that sort of thing.

Ginny hesitated before squeezing his hand back very firmly. Funny that such a small gesture could say more than words. Draco started to wonder if words were even what they were cracked up to be. Unless they were lying, Slytherins just weren't good with putting their feelings into words. They considered it a weakness because there was always someone who would be willing to use your words against you.

This Gryffindor next to him was just as bad with conveying her emotions through words. Draco wondered if maybe the two houses had that in common, but in the end, it didn't matter. What did matter was that they had that in common, and the hand squeeze they shared said so much to both of them. It said what words couldn't say. Words only go so far, but actions and gestures go further. They leave people with a feeling of deep comfort. After all, would you rather be with the person who tells you they're sorry you're crying, or the person who holds you while you're crying? Actions will always go further than words, and Draco now understood this, though he understood that words were necessary for most things. This just wasn't one of those things.

Though the horde of people watching them never let up, Ginny was noticeably calmer. She also held his hand in a comfortable way, instead of the scared way she had been holding it before, though her grip tightened slightly when they walked past a joke shop.

Somehow, Draco managed to keep up a steady flow of conversation, but all he could think about was her hand in his. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd held someone's hand. A person rarely thinks of those things. But for some reason, he was. Her hand was soft, and he enjoyed rubbing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. He liked holding her hand. He was feeling a pain akin to something you feel when you realize how much you've missed something. But he couldn't possibly miss something he couldn't remember doing.

Draco kept thinking about it. The Slytherin in him demanded an answer. The more Draco thought about it, the more he realized that the hand holding was merely a symbol of what he truly wanted. It literally stopped him in his tracks when he realized what he was aching for.

"Something wrong?" Ginevra asked curiously.

"No, I just remembered someone I've been forgetting to owl." He gave her a rare grin (or something between a smirk and a grin), and she gave a slight smile back.

At this point Draco Malfoy wanted nothing more than to run to his villa in France, but he knew his mother wouldn't want him to leave until after Halloween. Draco had always hated October and December. He much preferred the quiet, slow month of November. It was a lazy month. One that ignored the hustle and bustle of December. November was the essence of luxury in Draco's mind.

"Have you ever been to France?" By the look on Ginevra's face, he knew his question was quite unexpected.

"No… why?"

She was such a nosey Gryffindor. That was one of the traits that the Sorting Hat didn't tell everyone. Gryffindors were some of the nosiest people around. He needed to make sure she wasn't going through his room when he was gone. Nosey person.

"I have a beach house villa there. I thought you might enjoy going sometime. I own the strip of beach for two miles. It's really beautiful."

Ginevra's mouth was wide open.

"Can we go now?"

"Not until after the ball."

"How about right when the ball ends?"

He chuckled at how eager she was, and she had every right to be. It was gorgeous.

"I'll have our clothes sent in advance so that we can if you wish. I will have to ask for the Dark Lord's permission as well. He would want to know that I am taking you out of the country."

Ginevra grimaced. He knew she didn't want to be anywhere near the Dark Lord, but it was inevitable. If they denied the Dark Lord the right to see what he decided to save, then they would be punished greatly. Death would be a possibility.

After that Ginevra didn't say much, and though they didn't enter any shops, she was just happy to be outside. Never once did she attempt to let go of his hand, and he made a mental note of it. The sun was setting when Draco finally Apparated them.

Ginevra ran off with both costumes to show Narcissa and get the older woman's approval. Draco stood in the entrance hall for a minute while he thought on today's events and the personal revelation he'd experienced. He would tell no one about it, not even Blaise. It wasn't like a Slytherin to express anything based on feelings to another person, unless it was the person the feelings were about. Even then, you never revealed too much unless you were thinking of marriage. Emotions could easily be used as a weakness. You never left yourself open for destruction. Such was the way of a Slytherin.

As Draco walked to his room he let his thoughts run through his mind. This was a practice he had learned. He would acknowledge each thought, see if he could figure a way to fix it, and then release the thought. It was more of a meditation practice, but it worked well for him to keep his mind from spinning out of control.

He knew Ginevra would never feel for him. He doubted any woman worthwhile would. He was a coldblooded killer. He was the one who had removed the organs, not Blaise. He was the one always doing the dirty work and not minding it. A real woman wouldn't marry someone she knew did that. The only reason his mother had married his father was because he wasn't as dramatic with his killings. To his father it was simply business. For Draco, every death was a warning, and warnings had to make a huge statement to those they were meant for.

Draco had always known that any woman he married would marry him for his money, and not for himself. Whoever the woman was, she would have only two jobs: to give him an heir, and keep up a public appearance. Draco had always known that most Purebloods had marriages like this, but the Malfoys in the past few generations had been lucky enough to marry for love. Draco felt that he would not get this luxury.

Draco's best choice for an arranged marriage would be Ginevra. At least they could be friends. She wasn't bad to be around at all, and she was good at keeping up public appearances. That was really the most he could ask, and even more than he could hope for.

With that thought worked through, he felt much better. There was no sense bringing it up now. This was much too early. The Dark Lord had to deem that the task was complete, and then he would have to ask for the Dark Lord's approval. After that, he would ask Ginevra. He knew she wouldn't say no. She was safe with him, and she knew it. She always would be.

Draco walked to his father's office. He was going to talk to his father and see what he thought about this. Lucius had more experience in these matters and could help Draco greatly. Draco had always gone to his father for advice. Contrary to what many people thought, Lucius never had and never would raise his hand to his wife or child. He loved them dearly and spoiled both. Draco considered him one of the best fathers there was. Not many sons were lucky enough to be able to take any problem to their father no matter the nature. Draco had always been grateful for this.

He could hear Ginevra's excited squeal in the distance and knew Narcissa approved of the costumes. Yes, he thought, he could get used to hearing that every day. With that thought in his head, he continued to his father's office. e mHH


	10. Chapter 10

As the week passed, Ginny and Narcissa discussed what type of hairstyle would be appropriate. They took the older time period of the costumes into consideration, and once again, Ginny wore the teardrop diamond necklace. Ginny's nerves were terrible, and she often found herself sobbing uncontrollably. They wanted to owl Kora to come, but when Ginny freaked out so badly about the idea, they didn't.

Ginny saw very little of Draco as he was always with his father. Narcissa told her they were discussing business and looking at their Gringotts account as well as their estates. It sounded tedious, and since Ginny guessed it was a long process, she didn't bother Draco, though she did miss his company very much.

Narcissa had very much become a mother figure to Ginny. Draco had usually been the one to comfort her when she cried. Due to his absence, Narcissa was the one to take on the role. Narcissa suggested that Ginny visit the Burrow before the two of them went to his villa in France.

Ginny was torn. Part of her wanted nothing more than to go home. It was still standing, and Draco had made sure nothing could be stolen from it. Another part of her wasn't sure she could handle walking into the desolate house. There were so many memories there, and she knew she needed to confront those memories. She just wasn't sure she was strong enough to do so.

Ginny tried to preoccupy herself with etiquette lessons to prepare herself for the ball. Narcissa had explained that since Voldemort would be at the ball, Ginny had to be even more formal than she had before. She could not slip up in anyway. The etiquette lessons were long, and Narcissa drilled her on the things she had learned at random times. Ginny was sure she'd be able to be presentable.

After the etiquette lessons came the meditation lessons. Narcissa explained that while Ginny wouldn't get very far into meditation, she would get far enough to help her keep her emotions under control at the ball. There would be no calming draft given to her. Such a thing would be viewed by the Dark Lord as deceit.

The days passed quickly enough, though her mind rarely left Draco. In the blink of an eye, it was the afternoon of the ball, and Ginny was going through the preparations of getting both her hair and makeup perfect. The entire time she was getting ready, she practiced her breathing techniques. This was the first step in meditation and the most she could do while getting ready.

Around four o'clock, Narcissa came in to scrutinize Ginny. They would have to be there before the guests arrived to greet them in the ballroom. This ball was less about dancing and more about making connections and keeping up appearances. Narcissa sat with Ginny to do a brief meditation session. When Ginny's pulse was low enough, Narcissa ended the session and reminded Ginny to focus on her breathing if she should feel anxious, nervous, or afraid.

"Where is Draco?" Ginny asked Narcissa as they walked out of the room. Narcissa was dressed as a Queen. It was fitting since Narcissa was Queen of the elite circle.

"He is waiting in the ballroom. There will be a dinner tonight as we practiced for, so he had to make sure the name cards were at the right seats, the food was prepared just so, and the table was set up in the correct way. One day, that might be your job." Narcissa flashed a dazzling smile at Ginny.

As they walked into the ballroom, Ginny surveyed the changes. It was even more extravagant then usual with the finest china on the table. In the middle of the room stood Draco, giving orders to a house-elf. Draco's costume was perfect. Ginny was so glad that he had given into her desire for this particular one.

"Draco," she said loudly as she walked up to him. For a moment, he just stared at her with an expression in his eyes that Ginny couldn't quite identify. Draco grabbed her left hand and studied it.

"You need a wedding band." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two matching gold bands. They were simple, and perfect for the costumes.

"Perfect. Now we need to stand by the doors of the ballroom and greet everyone. My mother said she instructed you on how to greet everyone. Remember to stay very formal," he instructed her, and she nodded.

Narcissa had drilled everything into Ginny's head, and she would have no problem remembering any of it. As they waited for the first guests to arrive, Ginny practiced her breathing. She enjoyed the calm that spread over her. When she spotted the first guest making their way towards them, Ginny already had the small toothless smile in place.

"Ms. Parkinson," Draco greeted, kissing her hand as was customary. Ginny tilted her head forward to greet her.

"How lovely to see you. We are so pleased you could make it," Ginny said with fake sincerity, although no one would be able to tell. They greeted each guest like this, though most of the guests came as couples. However, Pansy was apparently unable to procure a date. It wasn't that Pansy was unsightly. The girl was just too pushy and clingy for any man to want to pay her attention.

The procedure of greeting everyone was tedious. Some of the costumes were interesting to look at, but most people came as Salazar Slytherin or a Hogwarts student. Ginny felt that her and Draco's costumes were the most original and put all the others to shame.

Draco's arm snaked out and grabbed Ginny by the waist, pulling her closer to him. Ginny didn't have to look to see who was coming, and she immediately began her breathing. It seemed the breathing did almost nothing to ease her fear of the man making his way towards her.

"Draco." Voldemort greeted them. Draco gave a bow, and Ginny curtsied deeply, trying to remember to breathe.

"I must say," Voldemort continued, "Ginevra looks good in a wedding dress. She also seems to have been made for this lifestyle."

"Thank you, My Lord," Ginny said softly, not meeting his eyes. She could feel herself shaking slightly.

"I hope I may have a dance with you later on, Ginevra."

Against her better judgment, she looked into his eyes. He appeared to be soulless. There was no light in those eyes.

"Of course, my lord. It would be an honour." Ginny curtsied again, still shaking. Voldemort swept past them, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.

"You did excellent," Draco said, brushing his lips against her hair. She leaned into him slightly. The dance would be the hardest thing in the world for her, but at least she had time before then. Draco's arm was still around her waist, and she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest. Even though it broke etiquette, Draco held her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head.

"That was everyone. The Dark Lord is always the last to arrive. After my parents come in, we will be seated as well." He tightened his grip on her, and she snuggled into his chest. She felt so safe in his arms. If it was anyone else, she wouldn't dare do this, but it was Draco. She trusted him completely.

As Narcissa entered with Lucius, she stopped in front of Ginny and Draco. She paused for a moment, scrutinizing both of them. Instead of reprimanding them, she merely suggested that they be seated. Draco guided her to the table, pulling her chair out for her like a gentleman. He sat beside her and grabbed her hand, holding it on the table for everyone to see. Ginny had no clue what this was about, but she went along with it. It wasn't like she minded.

Voldemort was at the head of the table, and Ginny and Draco were not far from him. He was way too close for comfort, but with Draco's hand in hers and her breathing technique, Ginny was able to handle it.

Lucius made a short speech that Ginny paid absolutely no attention to as she was doing her breathing, and then the food and wine appeared. Ginny sipped her wine as Draco slipped his hand from hers to pick up his silverware. The wine helped calm her slightly, although when she looked up and saw Voldemort watching her, she nearly blanched. In her head, she heard the words from the diary all over again, though she tried very hard to ignore them.

She ate the food on the plate before her slowly. There would be another course soon, and she was expected to eat a little from each. Draco leaned close to her.

"He's watching to see if you can follow the etiquette properly. All part of the task. You're doing fine. If someone starts talking to you, respond. Otherwise, do not start a conversation. You aren't regarded as high enough up to do so yet."

She nodded at Draco's words and gave him a small smile. Ginny realized that in the week she hadn't seen him, Draco had grown a bit of stubble. It suited him well, and Ginny had the urge to run her hand across it.

"Why, Ginevra," the cow- Pansy –began, "those costumes are so unique. I hope it isn't a sign of what's to come, though. It would be a tragic end, don't you think?" Pansy smiled. Ginny felt like punching her, but she could feel everyone's eyes on her.

"Yes it would be. Almost as tragic as never making a respectable marriage." Ginny's voice was sincere, as though she thought not having a respectable marriage would be the worst thing in the world. Pansy simply glowered at Ginny. Ginny ignored her and turned her attention back to her food while Narcissa gave her an appraising look.

The next course came and went without a hitch. Pansy tried to catch Draco's attention to no avail while a woman named Astoria talked to Narcissa. Ginny found that everyone was waiting to see what Voldemort thought of her. Her public standing hinged on his opinion. Upon this realization, Ginny sipped more of her wine. She made sure not to drink too much of it. That would be a bad thing. The elite had so many rules to follow. It was annoying.

"Draco," Astoria said suddenly, "I'm curious. Are you and Ginevra here as a couple?" Silence fell upon the table and every eye turned towards Draco.

"No use keeping it a secret anymore, love," he said, picking her hand up and kissing it.

Ginny blushed freely at this, feeling that was the appropriate reaction.

"We are indeed a couple. It happened just recently, actually. She finally gave in to my charms." Draco grinned.

"Now, love," Ginny said, "It was you who gave into my charms first." People at the table chuckled, and everyone resumed their conversations.

Ginny kept her eyes locked on Draco's for a moment. Slowly, he leaned into her, and she into him. Had this been anyone else, she thought, and then his lips brushed against hers, and all thoughts were forgotten. Ginny sighed softly at the brief contact.

"I don't think we've seen a better couple since Lucius and Narcissa started dating. I propose a toast, to Ginevra and Draco," Voldemort said, raising his glass. Everyone raised their glass and repeated his words. It seemed Ginny had been accepted in the upper society.

xXx

Draco found himself unable to focus on the conversations going on around him. All he could think about was Ginevra's lips against his, and how she had sighed as though she'd enjoyed it. He wanted to try it again, and then again, and maybe one more time after that. He was suddenly tired of the idiotic costume ball. If the Dark Lord hadn't been there, he'd whisk Ginevra and himself away to his villa. As it was, he could do nothing but sit there.

Astoria was now eagerly engaged in a conversation with Ginevra, and both girls were laughing lightly. Draco watched Ginevra laugh, admiring the way her face lit up and her brown eyes shone. He knew he wasn't the only one watching her, and this bothered him. He wanted no one else to pay attention to her. She was his to the public, and Slytherins did not share what was theirs.

For Draco, it seemed that the dinner dragged on forever. Every woman seated close to Ginevra seemed to want to know where they had got their costumes, who had done her hair, and how she was enjoying life in Malfoy Manor. Draco knew they were only doing it because it was now allowed. They didn't really like her.

Finally, the table was cleared off, and everyone stood up as the table disappeared. As soon as they stood, their chairs disappeared and music started. Draco took Ginevra's hand and guided her to the floor, determined to have the first dance with her before men started flocking like vultures.

Draco pulled Ginevra to him, holding her close as they danced to a slow song. He loved that she was a head shorter than he himself was. He also loved how wide her hips were and how tiny her waist was. Ginevra rested her head against his chest, her hands on his shoulders as she let him guide her. Draco felt a fierce urge to kiss her again, but he wanted their first real, deep kiss to be private. On a beach in France at night would be the perfect setting. So he kept dancing with a greedy look on his face. He glared at any man who seemed to be approaching.

When the Dark Lord started to approach them, Draco pulled her even closer. He did not want to let her go, especially not when he knew she would be so afraid, but he really didn't have a choice in the matter. He watched helplessly as Ginevra was pulled out of his arms, and her eyes widened in fear. He watched the feral smile on the Dark Lord's face appear as he whisked her away to the other side of the room. Draco was almost shaking with rage.

"It won't fix anything by being angry," Astoria said, placing her hand on his shoulder. Astoria was as bad as Pansy, always trying to sleep with him. She was pretty, no doubt about it, but she was so one-dimensional. He couldn't have a conversation with her about anything important without her trying to slide her hand into his pants.

"Go away, Astoria."

She pouted at him, squeezing her arms in so her cleavage popped up more. Draco sneered and brushed her hand off his shoulder. Astoria was nothing but an easy lay, and he wasn't interested in that or her.

Draco walked away from Astoria, watching Ginevra with the Dark Lord. Her eyes were still as big as saucers, and the Dark Lord still had that feral smirk on his face. Draco didn't like it at all. He wanted to reclaim Ginevra in his arms. Draco tried to get his temper under check as the song came to an end. He needed to ask permission to take Ginevra out of the country.

"My Lord," Draco said softly when the song ended. "I was wishing for permission to take Ginevra to my villa in France for a week." Draco bowed his head, waiting for an answer.

"Since you've done such an amazing job, I give my consent. I knew you could do this, Draco. Ginevra, remember what we said." With that, the Dark Lord kissed Ginevra's forehead and swept away. As soon as he was gone, Draco pulled her into his arms. She was shaking, and Draco rubbed her back as soothingly as he could.

"When can we leave?" she whispered.

"Soon," he promised her, "soon."

The ball continued on, and Ginevra had calmed once she realized the Dark Lord was no longer there. He had come for the sole purpose of seeing her. Draco still didn't know what the Dark Lord had said to her, but whatever it was, it had shaken her badly. He knew she'd delight in the soft, white sand and the warm waves right outside his villa. It was the perfect getaway.

As the night wore on, the couples left slowly, everyone of them stopping to say goodbye to Draco and Ginevra and congratulate them on their new relationship. If only that were truly the case. When the last couple left, Draco and Ginevra watched his parents still dancing together, lost in their own world. They were beautiful together.

"You ready to go?" Draco asked Ginevra, and she nodded, still snuggled against his chest. He held onto her as he Apparated her to his villa in France.


	11. Chapter 11

Ginny-having never been to France- had always pictured villas as small and quaint. Draco Malfoy's villa was neither. She wasn't sure if this was true of other villas, or if Draco's love of luxury had caused him to expand on it. Either way, the villa was the size of a four story house, as well as being very wide. It was also very modern, shaped in a white rectangle with glass windows everywhere. It was gorgeous.

Ginny soon discovered that Draco Malfoy could cook and had no house-elves here. He actually had Muggle things like elecktic-whatever it was called. Ginny could never remember. She fell in love with the place. Being surrounded by Muggle things reminded her somewhat painfully of her sister-in-law, but at the same time, it took her mind off not having a wand. There was no need for it here. She was especially fascinated by the telly, as Draco called it.

Ginny had almost forgotten about the beach until Draco reminded her by holding up a very small scrap that was Ginny's bikini. She blushed, remembering his kiss and wondering if this would cause another one. She wasn't sure what she had felt about the kiss. Voldemort had wiped everything from her mind. She refused to think of him, refused to remember what he'd said to her.

With this on her mind- or rather, being forced from her mind- she changed into the silver bikini. As she changed, she glanced down at the gold band that was still on her hand. For a long moment, she just stared at it before she decided to leave it on. She took off the necklace carefully and laid it on the bathroom counter. She scrutinized herself in the mirror. She had a nice figure, although her stomach was a bit bigger than what she'd like it to be. It wasn't like Astoria's perfectly flat one. Ginny consoled herself with the fact that Astoria had very small womanly assets. At least she had the woman beat in one place.

Astoria had been perfectly cordial to Ginny during the dinner, but Ginny was no fool. None of those women or men could be trusted. Narcissa had warned her that they would backstab her in a second if it could gain them even a knut. They were cruel, and Ginny would have to be just as cold with them if she didn't want to end up hurt. The only people she could trust besides those she lived with were Blaise and Luna.

After Ginny had checked one last time that she would not pop out of her top, she exited the bathroom. She found Draco by the patio door that led to the beach, drinking out of a bottle of Firewhisky. Though she could only see his back, she knew he was wearing his swimming trunks. She watched as the muscles in his arms moved and rippled slightly, as men's muscles are wont to do. Ginny couldn't quite describe what she was feeling at this point, and it infuriated her to no end.

"Are you just going to stand there watching me drink?" Draco asked without turning around. At least he wasn't drunk. Ginny did not like being around drunk men as they were usually extremely vulgar.

Ginny came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I was wondering if you were going to drink it all or share with me," she said, hugging his neck slightly too hard and giggling.

"You don't like Firewhisky, and I do believe you had enough wine. I don't want you throwing up on me, my beach, or something in my house."

Ginny let go of him, contemplating his statement for a moment.

"How can you own a beach? Seriously, Draco. How can you own a piece of Earth? Or a piece of the ocean for that matter. It's ridiculous."

"You're ridiculous," he mumbled, and she rolled her eyes.

She grabbed the bottle of alcohol from him and gulped. It burned her throat insanely, but she knew she would be released from the thoughts of what happened tonight with Voldemort this way. Tomorrow she would face them. Tonight she would simply enjoy herself on a beach in France wearing close to nothing.

"Don't drink the whole bottle," Draco muttered, grabbing it back after a few gulps on her part. She sighed, hoping she had drunk enough, and then proceeded to attempt to push Draco up off the couch from behind. He grumbled at her efforts, slowly getting up. He turned to… well Ginny wasn't sure what he'd turned to do, but he ended up staring at her for a very long moment. Ginny took this opportunity to seize the Firewhisky yet again. She wanted to sink into blissful oblivion.

"Bloody alcoholic," he muttered, and grabbed it away from her once again. He ignored her pouting and opened the door for her.

She tentatively stepped outside, feeling the warm air on her skin. She stood there for a moment and then quietly walked off the porch and into the sand.

It was so white, soft, and cool under her feet. She'd never been to a beach before, and she was definitely savoring this experience. She tilted her head up and looked at the sky that had just reached night. The sky seemed to have more stars than sky. She sighed gratefully as she felt the Firewhisky start to fuzz her mind.

She barely registered Draco's arms slipping around her, though she automatically leaned into him. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation the alcohol was causing her. Oblivion was so nice. She rested her arms on top of Draco's, and they stood that way for a very long time.

"Your mother told me us getting married would be a smart move," Ginny said from what sounded far away and not from her.

"It would be," Draco said into her ear softly, and it sent shivers up her spine, causing her to make a soft noise in the back of her throat. She leaned deeper into him. Her mind was so far gone. All she could think was how he felt against her, and how strong he was.

"Kiss me," left her lips, her eyes fluttering open slowly. Draco didn't need to be told twice. He spun her around and pressed his lips against hers softly. He tasted of Firewhisky, and she ran her tongue across his bottom lip to taste it. He took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth and pull her closer to him.

In his arms Ginny felt safe, as well as a few emotions that would normally make her blush. But she was drunk, and Merlin he was a bloody good kisser. She wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck, loving the feel of him. She didn't even realize for a moment that she was moaning into his mouth, but oh, she was, and he was groaning into hers and biting her lip.

She ran her hands across his chest, through his hair, and across the back of his neck. He was so soft for a man. She dimly registered something hard pressing into her. But when she did, she moaned harder, her drunken mind realizing she was causing it. As everyone knows, drinking causes you to do things you normally wouldn't do. For Ginny Weasley, it caused her to pull away from him, running her hand down his stomach and into his trunks.

She felt Draco stiffen the further her hand traveled. When she started to stroke him, he crushed his mouth against hers, his hand pulling her hair roughly. But oh, she liked it. Oh, and he was so long and wide and getting longer and harder with every touch.

He abruptly pushed her away from him and removed her hand. He was breathing deeply and looking at her as though he wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off and take her right then and there.

"Not while you're drunk. I want you to remember how good it is and how I make you scream." His eyes flashed almost dangerously. Ginny approached him again and simply wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his member pressed against her. He stood there like stone, but Ginny didn't mind at all. She passed out this way, Draco catching her even though the sand would easily have cushioned her fall.

xXx

Draco stood under the cold water in the shower, wishing desperately that wanking off would fix the problem, but there was no way in hell it would be satisfying. Not when he pictured Gin in the other room, remembered the way she touched him, and the way she'd moaned into his mouth. Draco had never been with a virgin, but he knew from Blaise that they were deliciously tight. He wanted to feel that around his cock. He wanted to hear her moan his name.

Having no other option, Draco did get off by imagining Gin pulsing around him. When had he started thinking of her as Gin? It didn't matter. All that mattered was that she had wanted him, and badly. He came whispering her name.

Draco wanted nothing more than to watch her sleep, but she was still wearing that barely existent bikini in bed. He hadn't trusted himself to undress her. He also knew that he would stay if he ended up watching her sleep, and she might wake up frightened that they had slept together. This way, when she woke up, she could get her bearings. Half of him was scared what her reaction would be.

As he stepped out of the shower, he heard her croaking his name. He quickly donned a pair of boxers and went to see what she needed.

"Draco," she whispered pathetically as he entered the room. "Please stay with me. Don't make me sleep alone. Please…. I promise I won't try to molest you again." She gave him a weak smile that even in the dark he could tell didn't reach her eyes.

He was torn, not sure if he could stand being in the same room that she was in, but knowing she desperately needed him after facing the Dark Lord earlier that night.

"Is your head starting to hurt yet?" he asked softly, and she nodded. He went back to grab his wand, and performed a hangover relief spell as well as a sobering spell. She sighed softly.

"Stay," she commanded, and he did.

She was his, no matter what. He couldn't leave her when she needed him. Besides, she was asking him while sober. He couldn't deny her. She reached out her hand as he came closer, and he gave his hand to her, letting her sit up and pull him to her.

"You should take that off." He gestured to the bikini she was still wearing.

She never took her eyes off him as she reached her hands to her neck and untied the strings, and then slowly around her back, untying those strings as well, letting the top fall to the floor. Draco inhaled sharply, taking her breasts in hungrily. They were so white. He'd expected there to be freckles on them as was on her cleavage, but there wasn't.

He stood still as a statue as she got up and slowly pulled the bottom down until it pooled at her feet. Draco closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them, reaching to turn a lamp on so he could see her. Her red curls were almost blonde. He felt his mouth water as she stepped towards him. He was going to take her, and as long as he was the only one to ever do so, he would be allowed to marry her, and he would marry her.

He kissed her softly, his mind planning out how to make the experience as amazing as possible for her. One of his hands wound itself into her hair. Her hands found their way to his hair, grabbing at it roughly. He pulled back, hissing, before picking her up and laying her on the bed.

"Stay just like that," he whispered. Draco took in her body, marveling at every freckle. He had never been with a woman he loved, having never loved before. This experience was totally new to him, and he found himself wanting to memorize every moment of it.

Gin raised her hand to his face and ran it across the stubble that had started to grow. Suddenly Draco realized what he had just thought. He loved her. He tried to figure out how this had happened, but all he could see in his mind was the time they spent together.

"I love you," he whispered, wondering if she'd hear him.

"I love you too," she whispered back. From the look in her eyes, she was as surprised by her feelings as he was, and that's sometimes the way love is. One day, you find that the person next to you is the one you love the most.

Draco kissed her softly, whispering iI love you/i against her lips as she whispered it back to him over and over. Every time she said it back, he felt his heart swell a little more. He thought for sure it would burst. No heart could survive this much emotion, but somehow his heart didn't burst.

He moved to her neck after successfully making her moan his name from nothing more than kissing. He sucked and bit her neck. He loved the way she moaned his name. Just the sound of it made him hard as a rock. He bit harder, eliciting a moan that was not too far off from a scream. He moved down to her collar bone, biting as he went. He wanted to be sure she would be marked. Everyone to see her would know she was his.

He took his time as he made his way slowly to her breast. With his eyes on her, he took one into his mouth. He watched her eyes roll back as she arched into him while yanking fistfuls of his hair. He went even slower, and slower still when she begged him. Sweat was running down both of them, and Gin was whimpering with every touch as though she were in pain.

At long last he brought his mouth down to between her legs, hovering for a second before darting his tongue out to taste her. She gasped. He ran his tongue up and down her folds and listened to her give a long, deep moan. He paused, and she tried to push his face into her.

Draco allowed his tongue delve into her. Merlin, she was tight, and this was only his tongue. His cock throbbed, and he wanted so badly to push into her. He knew she wouldn't protest, but he wanted to give her an experience to remember. Something to brag about to Lovegood and gloat over the high society women.

He slid his tongue in and out of her, tongue fucking her slowly. It took skill to make a woman come without ever once using your hands, and Draco Malfoy had yet to use his on any part of her. Using the tip of his nose to rub circles against her clit, he started moving his tongue in and out more rapidly. He felt her start tightening around him, and she rode his tongue.

"Draco," she moaned deeply and his cock throbbed again. It was painfully hard. And then she was contracting around his tongue while letting out a series of loud moans. He let her ride it out, waiting until her muscles relaxed before he slid his middle finger into her as deeply as he could and slowly stroked. Gin's hips lifted up off the bed, and slowly, he coaxed her into fucking his finger. She was so deliciously soft, wet, and tight. He enjoyed more than anything the sounds she was making. He wondered if it were possible from him to come just listening to her.

Once again, she came saying his name… and then again… and again… and one last time before he decided she was ready. He got off the bed and tugged his boxers down over his erection. Her eyes bulged as she took him in, and he felt his ego inflate. Slowly, he got on the bed and hovered over her.

"Will it hurt?" she asked softly, fear in her eyes.

"Blaise says it does, but he said Lovegood told him it wasn't too bad."

"So you've never been with a virgin?"

"Only you," he whispered as he slowly pushed his way into her, groaning at how tight she was. With one final shove, he was in, and Gin was biting back a scream. He stayed still for what seemed like hours to his cock. She was almost painfully tight, and he had to tell himself repeatedly to not just start pumping into her.

"I'm ready," she finally said.

Draco pulled out agonizingly slowly (for him). He slowly entered her, and then slowly backed out, slowly gaining speed and letting her fall into a rhythm with him. She felt so good, her moans so blissful. He rubbed circles with his thumb against her clit, watching for signs that she was close. He wanted her to come with him. Several times, he had to stop thrusting inside her and just rub her clit so he wouldn't end it too early. Finally he saw her stomach tightening, her breathing becoming more ragged, and her moans turning into screams.

"Draco!" she screamed over and over as they came together. He collapsed onto her for a moment. He watched her, desperately wanting her to say something, anything.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he replied, before rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him.

They pleasured each other until dawn started to break, when Gin finally passed out. Draco was smug about this. For a few minutes, he watched her greedily. No one would ever have what he did. She could never give that to anyone else. It was his, all his. She was his. He fell asleep with this one thought on his mind, and he dreamt of her.

While in Draco's arms, Gin dreamt of another man.


	12. Chapter 12

_"Ginny, my Ginny," the cold voice came. Ginny's breathing became erratic. It was a dream; she knew it was. But dreams didn't mean she was safe. At least not with him. _

"_You're right, Ginny. You aren't safe from me. You know, I've always had a thing for redheads." He fingered a strand of her hair. He was behind her, and she could easily turn around and look him in the eyes, though she'd have to look up. _

"_Leave. Me. Alone," she hissed with more conviction than she felt. _

_He merely laughed. He could see right through her. _

_She looked for a door; there had to be a door. _

"_There is no door. You can only escape when I allow you to." The strand of hair was tugged on sharply, and she cried out, eyes closing in pain. The rest of her hair was woven through his fingers, and she kept her eyes closed. She knew what was coming next. This was what always happened._

"_And we wouldn't want to break routine, would we?" he mused amusedly before slamming her head into the wall. It shouldn't have hurt as bad as it did. But when he was here, dreams were never just dreams. _

_Her head connected with the wall again, and she screamed in agony. If this weren't a dream, darkness would already have enveloped her, but she didn't get that luxury from this man who could see into her thoughts._

"_Ginny, my Ginny. You've been so bad by sleeping with Malfoy. Didn't I tell you before that you are mine?" _

_Her face was dragged against stone, layers of skin peeling off . Blood was trickling down her face._

"_Please, oh gods please, stop!" she pleaded while sobbing. She would have gladly taken death at this point. The pain was too much. Her head was throbbing, and it wasn't a dull throb at all. The pain was sharp and precise. Real life pain wasn't as bad as this. Nothing was as bad as this. _

"_And it is only going to get much worse. I've been too busy to punish you, traitor." _

_Ginny sobbed at the last word. _

"_Yes, you know you're a traitor, don't you!" he hissed. "Your brothers died to protect you against what you've so willingly embraced. It could be expected of Lovegood. She has always been a bit… off. But not the littlest Weasley."_

_She was thrown to the floor and her head connected with stone once again. The thud her head made caused her stomach to churn. Then something out of the usual pattern happened. He placed a sharp kick to her stomach and she retched painfully. He would never let her throw up. He controlled these dreams as she had learned long ago. Fighting back was beyond pointless. _

_Another kick was brought to her stomach, and she retched again, though harder than before. Her eyes were closed when the foot struck her face. She was sobbing in pain. There was so much pain. _

"_Draco!" If only she could manage to scream it in her sleep. Maybe even whisper it. _

"_Don't make me gag you. It will only go on longer," he whispered harshly. She continued to scream out Draco's name. _

"_You will regret this, Ginny, my Ginny." He pulled out a piece of cloth to tie around her mouth. _

"_DRACO!"_

"Gin!"

Ginny bolted up in bed, a fresh stream of tears flowing down her face. The pain still continued even though the dream had ended, and Ginny ran for the bathroom, heaving up the contents of her stomach. Her sobs echoed through the bathroom as she crumpled to the floor.

Draco came in and wrapped one arm around her while using the other to hold back her hair. He was talking, but Ginny couldn't hear him. She could only feel the excruciating pain in her face, head, and stomach. She heaved again and almost missed the toilet. The word traitor was playing itself over and over in her mind.

He had been right; she was a traitor. It was a terrible thought. It should have made her sick, though if it did she wouldn't be sure whether it was the thought or her stomach. Ginny continued sobbing in pain. She hadn't had one of those dreams since prison. She'd almost thought they were over. Silly her. It would never be over as long as he was alive. If he were dead, she would find peace from it.

She screamed in frustration and started beating the toilet. Draco held her hands down to protect her from hurting herself. Unable to hit anything, she continued screaming and sobbing.

No matter what she did, she would never escape the hell that was in her mind.

xXx

Ginny was floating in darkness. She could hear voices distantly, but at the moment, they were of no concern to her. There was no pain, and best of all, the source of her dream pain wasn't there. Not that she'd expected him to be. Her dream in France was the first time he'd been there since she was taken from the prison.

Ginny idly wondered if she was still in France. Was she even anywhere, or was she caught in limbo? She'd heard terrible things about witches and wizards who incorrectly performed a spell and ended up stuck in limbo, wandering through nothingness the rest of their lives. A few had made it back, and they were often quite mad.

Maybe if she went mad she could escape from him… or maybe she would have to deal with him every second of her life. She shivered at the thought. Or maybe she didn't. It wasn't like she could feel her body, so it had to have been a mental shiver.

_You can have mental shivers? That's crazy. Maybe I am crazy already._

Ginny pondered this for what seemed like a long while, though it may have only been minutes. It wasn't like she had a way to tell time. From far away she thought she heard Draco's voice, and her heart gave a start. Draco had told her he loved her and had made love to her all night long. He had made her feel beautiful. She was surely causing him pain by being in limbo, or wherever the hell she was. Slowly, she fought to surface through the prison of her mind. For Draco.

xXx

"I don't know the answer to everything, damn it, Draco!" Kora screamed, going red in the face. She had Gin hooked up to all sorts of Muggle machines. She said it would tell them what her brain was doing. She had assured him that Gin wasn't completely in limbo. Her mind was slowly turning itself back on, and she would surface eventually.

Draco was glad that Gin would come out of this trance she seemed to be in, but he was a fucking Slytherin. He wanted some fucking answers. Like why the bloody fuck this had happened in the first place. He wasn't able to even reach into Gin's mind; it was completely fortified. This worried him. She was his, and something was wrong with her. He would kill it, whatever the bloody hell it was.

One of the machines made a weird beeping noise, and Draco glared at Kora. She sneered in response and went to check the noisy thing.

"She can probably hear us right now, though she can't yet respond. She's fighting through it. So maybe you should stop yelling at me." Kora's voice was cold.

"Maybe you should make sure not to be a bloody traitor this time and tell someone what's actually going on," Draco growled, with hatred dripping from his voice.

xXx

_Traitor._

The word echoed around in Ginny's head. How was Kora a traitor? Ginny didn't like the woman working on her, but she'd never attempted to hurt her before. Besides, Draco would never let anyone hurt her. Yaxley was proof of that.

_Traitor._

Was she a traitor? She was trying to find a way to stop all the death. Wasn't that what her side had been about before they got caught up in surviving? Preserving each and every human life?

He had thought otherwise. He had told her she was a traitor. He was one too if she was one. There was blood on his hands, and none on hers. She wondered if he was even alive. He had to be if he could violate her mind like he had, right?

Ginny pushed further through her mind, passing through memories. She tried so hard to ignore them. She didn't want to remember her family like that. She wanted to remember them as they had been before the War had ripped everything away from them. Away from her.

xXx

"She's climbing through her mind very fast. I've never seen anything like it. This could be dangerous." Kora backed away from Gin slowly, a look of fear on her face.

"What the hell do you mean it _could_ be dangerous?" Draco snapped.

"I mean I don't know what's going to happen. I've never seen this except in a case for possession. When the man came through he tried to kill us all." Kora's back was pressed against the wall.

"That might be a problem if she had a bloody wand! Are you a witch or not?" Draco was seething at this point. Kora was a bloody imbecile. She couldn't even think of the simplest of things. And she called herself a witch. He sneered, his eyes turning back to Gin as her fists clenched and unclenched slowly.

xXx

Ginny wanted to scoff at Kora, which was a very Draco-like thing to do. Ginny would never kill anyone, unlike Kora. And she wasn't possessed. She knew that feeling much too well. Her brain had simply shut down temporarily. Kora should be a smart enough healer to figure that out.

She almost giggled when Draco screamed that Ginny didn't have a wand, except she couldn't make any noise yet. It wasn't like she could jump on Kora and strangle her. Eventually, she would be stopped before the girl could be harmed. Then again… Draco might be all for Kora being strangled. He did sound very angry. She had never seen- well, heard- him this angry before.

As Ginny clenched and unclenched her fists, exploring the feeling of having the ability to feel, she felt a big warm hand thread its fingers through hers and squeeze. She gave a small squeeze back, feeling very tired from this effort. She couldn't give up, though. If she let herself sleep, she might never make it out. She would be pulled down into limbo.

Ginny struggled to curl and uncurl her toes. After about ten attempts, she could feel them. Sweet success. Next came lifting her legs. This was much easier. Now her arms… there, not so hard. Finally, her eyes. This was harder. She struggled. And struggled. And struggled even more. The blasted things did not want to cooperate with her. This was annoying, as well as a bit scary. What if she could never see or talk again?

With that thought, her determination was renewed, and she struggled with her eyelids more fiercely. Slowly, her eyes slid open, and in front of her was a very haggard looking Draco.

She opened her mouth, and one word came out.

"Water."

xXx

Draco watched Gin gulp the water down as though she hadn't had anything to drink in weeks. He had dismissed Kora as soon as Gin had awoken. It was obvious that the idiot healer had no clue what to do in this case. Draco could take care of his… girlfriend? No, the word seemed so childish. Partner? Perhaps.

Gin was exhausted, but Draco refused to allow her to sleep yet. It was too soon after coming out of the protective prison her mind had put her in. Draco could only gather that much of what had happened. Gin refused to tell him who the mystery man was, claiming that said mystery man would come after Draco too.

Draco had tried to push into her mind, and was successful. But any and all dreams that had to do with this man were blocked, and not by Gin's mind. This bothered him incredibly. There was only one man Draco knew of that could safely extract the dream from Gin, and Draco knew she would not like it all. But Draco had to do it. It was for her own safety.

Draco had to ask the Dark Lord for his help.

xXx

Ginny should have been scared. That was the only rational thing to feel. Instead, she didn't give a bloody fuck. She was too tired to register Voldemort standing in front of her, wand out, with a displeased look on his face.

She could hear voices, though they sounded distant. Loud enough to prevent her from sleeping, but soft enough to not allow her to hear exactly what they were saying.

She tried to recall the man's face. She knew who he was, right? Yet the name and face eluded her. It was as though part of her memory was gone. All she knew was that this man had been someone she'd trusted with her life at one point. And he was tall. Oh, and strong.

Ginny scrunched her eyes together, wishing she could just put a pillow over her head and sleep. But she knew it wasn't safe. He might be there, whoever He was.

She could hear someone saying her name repeatedly, but she didn't care who it was. She didn't have time for anyone. The whole world was crashing down on her. Someone, whom she knew, was trying to kill her… in her bloody sleep.

"Ginevra!"

"WHAT!" she screamed, and then promptly found a pillow to cover her face with.

Someone tried to grab her pillow, and there was a brief tug-o-war fight. But then it was pried out of her hands, and there were cold fingers on her face.

"Listen, you silly little girl!"

Ginny's mind dimly registered that this was Lord Voldemort who was glaring into her face. But she truly could not care. She felt like she was crawling out of her skin. She wanted to scream and scream until the world knew what she was feeling.

But how could anyone know what she was feeling? Her entire family had been ripped away from her, she was suffering from some kind of mental trauma-type thing, and now she was being attacked mentally. Fuck the world. They knew nothing of pain.

xXx

Draco stood as stiffly as possible, focusing on his breathing and not on the hand that had grabbed Gin's face so roughly. He knew what would happen to her if he so much as protested the Dark Lord's treatment of her. So Draco stood as quietly as possible, not even daring to breathe.

Gin seemed to calm slightly under the glare of the Dark Lord, though if she knew who he was, Draco could not tell. Draco almost relaxed, until Gin started whimpering and trying to pull away from the Dark Lord. His grip on her face remained firm, and whatever he was doing, Gin didn't appear to like it.

Draco clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to ignore his instinct to forgo a wand and deck the Dark Lord in the face. That wouldn't be a smart thing to do. They would both end up dead then. They might end up dead if he didn't quiet his mind down.

So Draco stared at objects in the room, trying desperately to ignore the whimpers that were getting louder by the second. Having the Dark Lord extract something hidden in your mind wasn't a walk in the park. It was painful and harsh. But the alternative of not doing this was unbearable. Whoever this idiot was who was attacking Gin's mind needed to be stopped, and now.

When Gin's whimpers turned to near screams and Draco thought he could take it no more, the Dark Lord let go of her face, and she curled up into a ball on the bed. Draco slowly took a breath, waiting for the Dark Lord to say something.

"There is something very wrong here, young Malfoy," the Dark Lord whispered.

Draco felt his body shudder. The way that had been said sounded wrong.

"My Lord?"

The Dark Lord turned to Draco, a red gleam in his black eyes. Draco wished to take a step back, but refrained from doing so.

"I do not recall you asking to have… relations… with this woman." His gaze on Draco was stern. "However, I cannot begrudge my most faithful servant this one thing."

Draco let out a sigh of relief; a barely audible sigh of relief. The Dark Lord continued on, either not hearing or not caring.

"I am greatly concerned about young Ginevra. It seems that these… dreams… aren't just dreams. This person is blocking out their face and performing magic beyond the normal realm. It is, one could say, an astral projection that takes Ginevra's astral form with him with the plan of causing her pain." The Dark Lord let his words sink in.

"This is much like a lucid dream, except the pain is much more intense. It almost compares to the Cruciatus Curse… almost." The corners of the Dark Lord's mouth turned up into a sick, twisted smile.

"What can I do, my Lord?"

"I believe that she is safe, for now, from a reappearance. This person knows how much damage he has done. He does not want to push it. I am going to take the memories that I have extracted and see what I can find. I would not like to think that my… project… is being hurt when she has come so far. I was expecting her to make a great wife… for me. Take her home."

_The Dark Lord swept from the room, but Draco stood there, hate coursing through his veins. Gin was his. He would not let Voldemort have her, no matter what he had to do._


	13. Chapter 13

Draco stood still as the Dark Lord sat and surveyed Gin. The Dark Lord seemed to have a million questions, but he said it was necessary before delving into her mind. The Dark Lord was always cautious when putting himself into any situation, although this time he was being more over the top than usual.

"I've invested in Ginevra, I don't want to see her hurt anymore than you do. It would be a setback, and you all of people should know I hate setbacks, no matter how small," Voldemort said.

It used to unnerve Draco that the man could just answer anything that was floating in Draco's mind, but he had easily become used to it. It could be dead useful at times.

The Dark Lord attempted to question Ginevra about the man that had been in her dream. She opened her mouth to say something but then stopped abruptly with a puzzled look on her face. She never looked into the Dark Lord's face, as it filled her with fear. He was almost... patient with her.

Draco could tell that the Immortal was certain something big was at play. When the Dark Lord wanted to show that quality, he could be one of the most patient men in the world. That was rare for anyone to see, unless in dire cases like Gin's.

"I… I… I don't remember what he looks like." Gin's eyes were panicked as she looked towards Draco. The Dark Lord sat on the chair that was pulled up next to the bed. He took Gin's face in his hands, lifting it this way and that while muttering under his breath. Gin was shaking with fear, but the Dark Lord had already put his foot down on Calming Draughts, as they could and would cloud her mind, making things only more difficult.

Draco concentrated on his breathing while the Dark Lord had his hands on ihis/i Gin. He hadn't forgotten what that Immortal told him. Gin hadn't heard, and for that Draco was grateful. She didn't need anything else to stress her. It had been two days since the incident. Two very stressful, excruciatingly long days.

Draco knew that his Lord could be testing him. This sort of thing happened often to the most faithful of his servants. The comment might have been nothing more than a stab at Draco. But what if it wasn't? Draco was on high alert. He had no plan yet, although his mother had been just as nervous as he was.

This comment of the Dark Lord's just couldn't mean anything good.

xXx

"Lucius," Narcissa said softly, thinking of the best way to approach her husband on this matter.

Lucius had been staring into the fireplace in the living room connected to their bedroom. It had been upon his wife's request that it had been made into a living room. It was romantic, she'd told him, and he had to say that many a time, he agreed with her. This just wasn't one of those times.

He tore his eyes away from the flames he found so calming and looked at his lovely wife. His Narcissus, he'd called her when they'd first started dating. The most lovely of the Black sisters. For that reason she was also the most deadly. His wife was easily underestimated by many. She had almost as much skill as her sister Bella.

"Yes, my love?"

"Why would he want Ginevra?"

There was no need to ask who she meant. Ever since Draco had told his parents what the Dark Lord said, this unspoken question had hung in the air. Everyone was tense and on edge.

"We can't even be sure he was serious. The Dark Lord has a weird sense of humor." Lucius looked at his wife for a moment. She was glaring into the fire, her eyes alive with malice. "I know what you're thinking, Cissa. But we cannot make a false move. If he is not serious, and we do anything, all of us will die."

Narcissa gave a manic laugh. "Come now, Lucius. It is highly unlikely he meant anything else. Why else would he have shown her favor above everyone else? She was never just an experiment, but we deluded ourselves into thinking she was. He wants her, and not to marry. That is just a pretense. Otherwise, he would have killed our son on the spot for taking her virginity."

Lucius cringed. He didn't want to calmly talk about his son deflowering women. It just wasn't... polite? Nice? Right? Whatever it was, he just didn't want to put it in that way. "She was the seventh woman to be born into a family in seven generations. Born and not married into. That is the only unique thing I have been able to think of."

"You lie," his wife hissed. "He knows what happened to her when she was eleven. Powerful magic leaves stains. She was the seventh victim he possessed. She has his stain on her. What does this all mean?" she nearly screamed.

Lucius averted his eyes to the floor, worry clouding his face. He concentrated on the too soft carpet, perfect for making love. Such a soft light brown color. When the light from the fire fell onto it, it almost looked russet.

He wondered how to tell his wife that which he wondered about for a long time. He knew the moment Ginevra stepped into the Manor what it had meant. How he knew, he couldn't say. The pieces of a puzzle had fallen together with her, though, and it had loomed in front of his face, dancing like a drunk house Elf.

"Lucius," Narcissa whispered, concern on her face. He knew she was bracing herself for something terrible, and she would be right. It was terrible. It was horrifying. There could be nothing on Heaven or Earth so sickening as this fact.

Lucius slowly stood up and went to grab a small black book from a nearby table. He had locked himself away these past few days, immersing himself it held all the answers and backed up his discovery. He pushed the book into Narcissa's hand. Comprehension slowly dawned on her face.

"Seven is the number of one other being, for some reason that we do not know. Our Lord means to take this being on. Narcissa... he believes he's the Devil... and he thinks it's time to overthrow God."

Narcissa did the only appropriate thing to do when told something so terrible. She screamed.


	14. Chapter 14

Voldemort was creating a projection in the air, attempting to explain to this pathetically slow Wizard what the concept of a sleep study was, and how he was combining it with magic to monitor Ginevra's dreams.

"We are going to project her dreams, her pulse, her brain waves, and what level of sleep she is in," Voldemort slowly said. Draco nodded looking slightly confused. If he didn't need this idiot boy to take care of what was his while he was gone, he would kill him in a second for his incompetence. Servants were expendable. Even the best. He had two other valuable servants to fall back on.

"We need to watch for any inconsistencies. It will write down everything on this paper. I can take care of anything that appears to be off when I... return from the business I have to attend."

Draco looked at the girl lying in the bed, sleeping. Her body almost seemed to be moving to an invisible beat.

"Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort nodded in approval at the boy's obedience. It would be time to remind the child where he stood. He had to keep his servant in line. The boy was lucky he was even alive. Had he needed the girl to be whole, everyone in the vicinity of the Manor would be dead. But he didn't. Infact, he had needed the two to become closer. Two sevens interwoven. She would do perfectly now. Except for her dreams.

He didn't care that she was being tortured. It was good for lesser beings to be hurt. How else would they learn? No, what bothered him was that whoever was torturing her was doing so in a place he'd never reached. Dreams were unimportant. Merely symbols from the unconsciousness. He had no need for symbols. They were foolish.

He twirled the wand of elder in between his fingers. As foolish as it was, he would have to learn how to reach the Astral Plane if he wanted to find this idiot who thought that they could go undetected.

He chuckled. Whoever this Wizard was, they had better be ready. Every emotion he had been hiding in order to get his way would be unleashed onto him, and whatever else was with him. He was a merciful Lord, except for when he wasn't.

He laughed coldly.

xXx

Draco sat down in one of the chairs drawn up to the bed, watching Gin's body move slowly, almost imperceptibly. Was he imagining it? Yes, he must have been imagining it.

Draco sighed and watched the projection. See through and purple. He wondered why it would be purple. Purple... what did purple mean? It had to be important. Or was he imagining things? Was he looking for symbols when there weren't any to be found?

The clock ticked loudly. He wanted to throw it against the wall. He could always use his watch to see what time it was. It dawned on him that Gin didn't have a watch. How had he forgotten something so simple yet so important?

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He had to think. Think, damn it! He could feel it looming right in front of him, calling to him. The magic was screaming out to him, telling him something he desperately needed to know. But what was it?

Then he noticed it. She wasn't dreaming. She wasn't even asleep. Then the drums started. He could hear what she'd been moving her body to, and it was getting louder and louder. So beautiful and so scary, as though the heavens were crying out.

xXx

Lucius clamped his hand over his wife's mouth, silencing her scream. She clutched onto him, pulling herself as closely to him as possible. They both knew what this meant. Everyone would die eventually if this came to be. He would stop at nothing to take over the Heavens. He would stop at nothing to defeat God.

"I wish all those Muggle myths were true," Narcissa whispered, referring to Hades, Zeus, and all those other silly Muggle stories that were once told.

"So do I," he whispered.

"How long have you known?" she whispered.

"Since she walked into our house."

"That's why you've been looking for Edward in all the portraits, isn't it?"

Lucius nodded, staring at an empty portrait frame, where Edward had once resided and spent many a day. Narcissa sagged into him, and he pulled her onto the floor, where they both sat, waiting for the the Seer to come to them in their time of need.

In the quiet they both heard the war drums start, vibrating through their magic, telling them it was time. Heaven had begun to wage war.

xXx

iThere were drums beating somewhere, Ginny was sure. It was as if music that consisted of a lot of dreams was playing. They were loud and slow, but Ginny knew they would soon speed up until the music reached its finale.

"Ginny," a voice whispered, and Ginny looked for the source.

Hermione. Ginny crawled on her hands and knees, unable to stand after so long without food. The Death Eaters, those foul sick beings, had decided to ration the food, and as there were more prisoners coming in, everyone got less and less food.

"Ginny," Hermione whispered, taking her sister-in-law's face in her hands, tears leaving tracks on her dirty face.

So thin, Ginny thought. Hermione was so thin. She had to be on the verge of death. There was no way Hermione could last much longer. Not after all the beating, raping, and starvation.

"You have to be ready, Ginny Bear. You have to fight. The person you trust the most is the person you have to trust the least. He's killing you." Hermione turned and retched.

A thought started to form in Ginny's mind. A very fuzzy idea. If only she could grab ahold of it. But the drums. They were getting faster and louder.

"You must be ready. It all relys on you. They are all coming for you. Seven men. Four living. Four fighting over you. Two fighting together. Two dead and unable to reach you. One only a memory. One a dream. You have to fight, Ginny. Fight!" Hermione choked out, tears coursing down her face. But the tears were blood...

The dreams were almost at the climax. It was so close. So loud. Almost over.

"Hermione," Ginny whispered, "You're dying."

The climax was there as Hermione replied.

"I'm already dead, Ginny. I have been for a long time. And he's the one who killed me."/i?

Ginny woke up in fear, the drums in her head climaxing. They were all coming, and they would stop at nothing to reach her. It was time to awaken who she really was and finally fight for that which was being threatened.

It was time to call upon her destiny.


	15. Chapter 15

"Stand!" the Dark Lord hissed at Draco.

Draco was trying desperately to do as he was ordered, but his limbs weren't working, and his brain seemed to not be working anymore either. A distant part of his mind wondered if this was what being tortured into insanity was like.

"I said stand, Malfoy!"

Another bout of excruciating pain engulfed Draco. He screamed, and on and on it went.

"You are lucky. Although I need the girl, she will be yours. You will marry her. I have discovered on my journey that I do not need her as a wife, although it would be amusing. But she isn't as she was when she was younger. You will keep her. I don't wish her dead. I do wish you to have. More. Respect!"

With a slicing motion, Draco's head hit the ground. What should have been dirt felt like concrete against his skull.

"You have let your emotions cloud your judgment! You who were most faithful! You who were most trusted! I expected so much more of you! Yet you are greatly disappointing me!"

Draco mumbled apologies, close to begging for mercy but knowing that if he did, he would be considered weak. The weak were killed off.

"I am done with your apologies!" he hissed. "You will do as I instruct from now on. Anything that deviates from my instructions will be punishable by death!"

Draco's entire body rose up into the air, his head lolling to the side, pain entering his skull and then fading. Once again he crashed into rock hard dirt, his head making a sickening thud. He screamed.

"You may have the girl. You are flesh, and thus you have desires. Since you seem to love her, you will be allowed to marry her if you wish. It would only further my cause, which is still the same. Reforming her. Making her into what I need her to be. She will be trained. Bellatrix will be by soon to instruct you on what we will be training her in. Until then, let her only continue on Muggle history. And to remind you, a few of my servants who wish to prove themselves will remind you of where your place now is. In the ground."

Draco felt himself being kicked, punched, cut, and stepped on by a number of people. He screamed and begged for mercy over and over again.

"That is enough."

The lower levels fell away, and left Draco alone. He used his magic to power his ring for the second time.

xXx

Ginny sat there in the drawing room with Narcissa and Lucius. They both watched her carefully, and she couldn't blame them. Every time she closed her eyes she had flashes of memories that weren't hers, and she'd speak of things that were long ago. Things she could never have seen.

They were worried she was losing it. She was sure of it. Maybe she was. But she knew one thing. She had changed drastically since she had walked into Malfoy Manor. For one, she was in love with a Death Eater. A Death Eater who was on the verge of death, if Narcissa's locket was anything to go by. The locket was heating up, and then it would fade out and repeat. But unless he called, they could do nothing but wait.

Had Hermione been right about the Stockholm Syndrome? Was that all this was? She found it hard to believe that. Yet she didn't know what to believe. Like Hermione showing up in a dream that wasn't a dream. Who were the men Hermione had talked about?

She'd repeated over and over what Hermione had said.

_Seven men. Four living. Four fighting over you. Two fighting together. Two dead and unable to reach you. One only a memory. One a dream._

It didn't add up to seven men. It added up to fourteen. Some of those men were one and the same. She rubbed her head trying to think of what could have been meant.

xXx

Lucius felt the heat of his ring calling him to his son. He left without a word, coming out in some field. A beautiful field, but ominous due to the situation. He would have paused had it been any other occasion, but he knew his son would never call for him if it wasn't urgent. He walked forwards, watching his Lord walk away and then fly from the spot where he was sure his son was. He broke into a run.

"Dad," Draco whispered when he saw his father's face.

Lucius remembered how he used to carry his son when he was a baby. He and Narcissa had used to argue over who would hold this child. Their child. His son who was lying in a pool of his own blood, his head smashed open so badly that Lucius could see his brain.

For the second time in almost three months, Lucius picked up his own son in his arms again, cradling him like a child, and Apparated home, thinking that if his son died, at least he had found love for the first time in his life.

xXx

Narcissa and Ginevra clung to each other, whispering in low voices.

"I want a ring," Ginevra breathed.

"I know," was all Narcissa could reply. She couldn't deny this woman that one thing. This woman who had done the impossible and returned her son to human. A vengeful, violent human, but a human nonetheless.

Narcissa wanted to hate Ginevra. She was the reason her son was in constant danger. But it was futile. Ginevra loved her son, and had for awhile. The girl hadn't known for awhile, but Narcissa had. She had always known that both her son and Ginevra would be key in ridding their world of this abomination that called himself a lord.

If Narcissa was honest, she'd never loved the Dark Lord. She'd wanted nothing to do with that part of the Wizarding World. But there had been Lucius and she had loved him so. They were going to get away from it all. You can't leave the service once you get in, though. So they stayed, their lives content, for the most part.

And when the abomination fell? She rejoiced, while her husband withdrew slightly. He agreed with the Death Eater principles, but she had been more important to him. But having a child brought him around, and he had been a great father and husband. He had been everything they needed. An ass to those who weren't worthy in his eyes, but then they were usually rude to her son. Like Granger and Potter.

Still, they shouldn't have died such terrible deaths. None of them should. And now Ginevra. The entire family, really.

Narcissa knew what she had to do if it got to be too bad. Either her son and the girl who might as well have been a daughter ran, or Narcissa would take her own family's lives. It would be painless. A simple poison. If it came down to a terrible death or a painless one, she would do what she had to. She would save them from that fate. No matter what.

xXx

Ginny's eyes remained on the clock. A few times they fluttered to the portrait, and she almost thought she saw Edward Malfoy looking around the room. Had it... but no. She hadn't seen him in days. Oh Merlin, it felt like months. Time was so confusing! It was only a few days into November!

November. Christmas was coming. Christmas. What a crazy idea! Christmas in hell. That's what this would be. If any of them lived. Would they? Did she want to if Draco was gone? Surely she would be disposed of as well, in a cruel and unusual manner, she was sure.

She looked at the painting, frowning, and there he was. Edward Malfoy. He put a finger to his lips, and without knowing how she knew, she knew he would come to her after the wait. Her Seer would have news for her.

"Lucius!" Narcissa's voice broke out and Ginny jumped up, no longer caring about Edward. Draco was her only concern.

Ginny's stomach turned, but this time she didn't heave up the contents of her stomach. He needed her.

"Kora," Lucius breathed.

"NO!" Ginny bellowed, and both wife and husband turned to her, startled. "Something is wrong with her. Something is terribly wrong with her. Give me his wand. I can do it. I'm a Healer."

They both stared at her. And then-

"It won't work for you. You haven't won-"

"It will! I have won his allegiance! So I have won his wand's allegiance. There is no time. Hand it to me!"

It was a mark of the amount of trust they had in each other that Lucius and Narcissa both rummaged through their son's robes for his wand and handed it over to Ginny.

Ginny examined him for a moment. He was so much worse than last time. A good chunk of his brain was exposed, and if she was completely honest, there was a small chance he would be brain damaged. The bleeding had been stopped by To- by that asshole. His pulse was faint, feeble, but it was there.

"Cissa, work on his legs. They're broken in a few places and fractured in others," Ginny commanded.

"But the pain-" Lucius started.

"Is better than wasting time with this inane chatter that could kill him!"

Lucius fell silent and began helping his wife heal his son's legs, while Ginny tried to figure out what to do about Draco's skull. They needed Skele-Gro, obviously, as he was missing bone. But he couldn't have his brain exposed, and it was swelling.

"Gin," he breathed, barely conscious.

Ginny waved his wand, cooling the brain down, and slowly, very slowly, draining the blood that was seeping into his brain.

"Find the source," Ginny ordered, still draining blood. She didn't pay attention to the fact that she herself was now covered in his blood. Too much blood.

"It's his brain. A blood clot is breaking loose..." Narcissa sounded so frightened, but Ginny wasn't.

She stopped it with a wave of her wand, reversing it, thanking God they had discovered it.

"Here," Lucius said meekly, thrusting a blood replenishing potion into her free hand. She hadn't even noticed him leave the room.

Together, the three of them raised the barely conscious Draco to a sitting position and slowly fed him the potion, careful to not touch the exposed part of his brain.

Once she felt his pulse start to return to normal, she knew the biggest danger had passed. Now, to take care of his head. When she glanced up, she saw Edward Malfoy standing there with a fish bowl on top of his head. Smart painting.

"We need to feed him Skele-Gro, and then perform a Bubble Head Charm on him. It will keep his brain from being exposed until the bones grow back. I can't grow the skin back until after that. Too dangerous."

"Amazing," Draco whispered, using his strength to wrap his hand over her wand hand. Together, they held onto his wand, both of them feeling the magic binding them further than they already had been.

xXx

"Edward," Ginny called, creeping out of Draco's room. She'd been spending the night with him, scared to leave him alone. Lucius had come to take over the shift. After what had happened tonight, Ginny had to admit she had greater respect for Lucius.

"Ahh, Ginny! So good to see you! So," he pulled out a book, "where are you currently at in history?" He thumbed through the pages.

"Um... Draco... well,you saw it..."

"Yes, yes, yes. But certain things are constantly in flux. Any... dreams?" he asked gently.

"How do you... never mind. Seer stuff, I suppose." She shook her head, looking away from the portrait.

"Ah, but you've been seeing too, Ginny! Think! You've been having non-dreams of dead people! Non-dreams!" He waved his book around wildly, startling Ginny.

"That's the problem though. I'm being attacked while I sleep!" Ginny put her hands on her hips, exasperated with him already. It had been a stressful night, and Ginny had little patience.

"Not all of the time! Don't you remember why Draco was just called away? Because you had a non-dream! Think of what happened in that dream that wasn't a dream!" He was almost jumping up and down.

"I was warned by a friend. But I'm not sure how it can be true. It was just a-"

"A non-dream! Had it been a dream, your fiance would have been able to see it. But he didn't! So it wasn't!" He had dragged out a chair and was standing on it, pressing his face against the portrait. Such non-Malfoy behavior.

"Wait," Ginny said, comprehension dawning on her, "You called him my fiancee!" Now she was the one with her face pressed almost against the portrait, using her best Weasley glare. Something she'd learned well from her mother.

Her mother... but she brushed the stab of pain away. If she wanted to do anything about the current situation, she had to be strong. For him. For herself. For whatever the future was.

"Erm..." he flipped through his book, "did I say fiancee? I meant friend. Yes, friend." He nodded furiously.

Ginny backed away from the portrait, know he had let slip something he hadn't meant to.

"So it's real, this non-dream thingy?" she questioned.

"Very real. It just doesn't happen in the waking world. But the dream isn't what is important exactly. It's what the dream is awakening in you. Think, Ginny! Think! You are not crazy! You are remembering what is important. Think on it!"

And with that he walked out of his frame, and stood in what Ginny guessed was portrait limbo, as he wasn't anywhere in the surrounding portraits.

She rubbed her forehead, feeling the start of a bad headache that she could do nothing about. The pain potions would be needed for Draco. She was sure this wasn't the last time he'd come home to her in this condition.

_Home._

The word almost felt foreign, yet that was what the manor had become. It was what he had become. She couldn't even remember how it'd happened. Did her feelings change overnight? No. She was sure it had started with the first time he'd come back from being tortured.

She stared at the empty portrait, wondering what she was supposed to be remembering. Those flashes of random crap that flashed behind her eyes? Those couldn't be memories though. So what were they? Maybe she was thinking too hard on Muggle history. Maybe it was blocking her memories.

Maybe it was the dreams of the mystery man beating her.

But who the hell was he anyway?


	16. Bleed Slow Pt I

14

**AN: I do apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter up. Broken computers do that. It took months for me to gain access to the files on the HDD. I'm already working on the next chapter, so never fear! Also, thank you so much for the reviews, for this story and my others. I will be working on another fic on the side. It'll be a good one! ;)**

_I think her pony-tails a little too tight__  
__Because she's alone walking with me in this moon-light__  
__Tonight she fits in my palm__  
__The storm isn't anywhere close to calm__  
__Look I've gone __and captured the mortal_

_-Bleed Slow, Atmosphere_

Ginny was sitting at the dining room table with all three of the Malfoys. They all looked at each other nervously, Draco looking slightly sick. Ginny tugged at her clothes, hoping to smooth out any invisible wrinkles. She felt almost as if she were at a job interview. She knew it was silly, but the atmosphere in the room was... weird.

"Ginevra," Lucius started off, "I went to the Burrow last night to see if I could retrieve anything from there. It seems that we need you to be able to get in."

Oh. Was that all? Why was this such a big deal then?

"However, given the current situation, we are a bit concerned. Your safety is important to us. Therefore it is best that we plan for this, if you would like to be able to collect anything."

Ginny's mind flashed to the Weasley clock and her throat constricted. She nodded vigorously. She would do whatever it took to get her family heirloom.

Lucius shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked to Narcissa. She took a deep breath and looked at Ginny, reaching her hand across the table towards the younger woman.

"Ginevra, we believe that when you go to your home, it will cause your mental attacker to strike. The best course of action would be to have the Dark Lord informed of this idea. He could place someone here to watch your dreams, possibly he himself even. I know this isn't something you would like or even want, but this is a desperate time. Doing this might be a way to get your attacker to show himself to us." Narcissa's voice was almost pleading.

Ginny was shaking in her chair. She thought of what Tom had told her at the ball about always being a part of her, no matter how hard she tried to fight it. It seemed like he was right, and she hated herself for admitting it.

"How do we even know there is anything still in the Burrow? A Death Eater could have raided it," Ginny pointed out, looking for an excuse to not go and hating herself for doing so.

"Your family used magic to protect the Burrow. As long as one of you is alive, that magic lives, though weak. Once your family... passed on... I added additional enchantments all around the land surrounding your home. It is impossible for anyone to touch the Burrow unless you invite them in, Gin," Draco said for the first time, in almost a whisper.

Draco had healed, but he still was weak. It was only two days later; of course he would be weak, Ginny reminded herself. Still, she worried.

"Lucius would accompany you, hopefully. That is the outcome we seek. He is a skilled dueler. Not that it would be needed, but it should be a comfort to you to have him there, as he cares about you. We all do..." Narcissa's voice was soft.

Ginny nodded.

"Okay. I don't like this, but I understand that it might be our only shot of catching this guy. Nothing is worse than what he does to me. Not even Voldemort." Ginny's voice held conviction, and her eyes were steeled with determination.

All three of the Malfoys looked away. They didn't want to believe that anyone could be worse than Voldemort. After all, he could do the very same thing as Ginny's mystery man should he decide to, and he would, when he found out the identity of this peon.

"I will let the Dark Lord know that we wish to have an audience with him. When would you like to meet with him?" Lucius asked, allowing her to make the move.

Ginny knew it was a test of sorts. They wanted to know if she would delay the inevitable, and it was inevitable. Ever since this mystery man had called her a traitor, she had wondered if going to the Burrow would somehow be a good idea. It would appease him and possibly draw him out, get a reaction from him. Of course she hadn't said anything to anyone. She was afraid that if she voiced the idea, it wouldn't work. But thankfully they had the same idea as she had.

"Today." One word. That was all she could manage. She wasn't a coward, but she also wasn't a fool. She was scared of Tom. He had killed everyone she loved, either directly or indirectly. He was a man to fear.

Lucius nodded. "Very well. I shall let him know immediately. For the record, I think you have made the right choice here, Ginevra, and it will show. He will see that." With that, Lucius swept from the room, his words of approval ringing in her ears.

Lucius had never given Ginny any form of praise. This was a rare moment indeed, one to be treasured and remembered. Except for the fact that they had more pressing matters to attend to.

"What about Draco? He isn't well enough to sit in on this meeting." Ginny addressed Narcissa, who nodded.

"I'm going to Floo Kora, and-"

"No! What don't you understand? She isn't right! Something is very wrong with her. If you bring her here, Draco will end up in a much worse state," Ginny screamed, becoming close to hysterical.

"Ginny," Narcissa said softly, almost in a pleading voice. "Kora went through a very traumatic ordeal. She is still recovering from it. You are not seeing sense here. Anyone would be shaken up after that. But she is the best healer there is. We need someone to look at Draco; otherwise, he won't heal properly."

Ginny glowered. This wasn't a smart move. Why couldn't they see something was wrong with that woman? She was going round the bend!

"Fine, but I want to be here for it! That way I know she isn't crazy." 

~~~  
Narcissa nodded grudgingly. This would at least get her to shut up about the situation. Narcissa was sure Ginevra was paranoid from all that had happened. It was quite understandable. Who wouldn't be a nervous wreck if they were attacked while sleeping?

"I will make a Floo call to for her immediately. If you think anything is… off about her when she is here, I will make sure it is investigated," Narcissa said, trying to humor the girl.

No, woman, she had to remind herself. Ginevra was no longer a child. She had seen a great deal, just as her son had. She would take care to remember that.

Narcissa exited the room, going to her sitting area where the fireplace was. She threw the dust that allowed the call into her fireplace. It was expensive, the dust, but easier and better than making an actual Floo. She supposed that it was much like those Muggle telephones.

"Kora," she called, and the woman entered the room, looking stunned to see her.

"Narcissa, what a pleasant surprise. How can I help you?"

Narcissa noted that the girl looked slightly nervous, and seemed to have bags under her eyes.

"Draco suffered severe head trauma two days ago. We took care of it the best we could, but I would be grateful if you could come over and check him out yourself."

"Of course. It won't be a problem. Is that all?"

Narcissa hesitated, then plowed on.

"Not exactly. It seems Ginevra is having a hard time trusting you. She seems convinced that something is wrong with you. I would like it if you could run a few tests on her as well, giving the excuse that she needs a check up after all the stress. I am just a bit worried." Narcissa chewed her lip, and for a moment, she thought she saw a scared look on Kora's face. But she must have been imagining it.

"Of course. I know I screwed up, but Merlin knows, seeing Ginny like that… I have grown fond of her. I wasn't able to think clearly. I will make sure she is doing well. I can also talk to her then and explain myself. She should be reassured."

Narcissa smiled brightly, appreciative.

"I am afraid I must be going. I want to attend to Draco immediately. I wouldn't want to waste time in getting there."

"Of course. Thank you so much, Kora."

With that, Narcissa retreated. She was sure this would help ease Ginevra's worries.

Kora arrived just a few minutes later, and Ginny watched her suspiciously. She wasn't about to take her eyes off this woman. She noted the bags under the woman's eyes, and she looked a lot thinner than ever before. She wondered at this.

Kora undid her bag of potions and took out her wand. She carefully pulled up a diagram of Draco's brain, scrutinizing it.

"There seems to be slight damage to the cerebellum. This won't affect his movement too much, but we will do physical therapy twice a week to fix this. It is too dangerous to use magic on that part of the brain, as the brain is already tricky. One slightly wrong movement, and Draco could lose all ability to move."

Ginny looked closely at the diagram, but couldn't see anything wrong. Suspicious.

"Could you show me this?" she asked, but it was a demanding tone.

Kora zoomed in on the region, explain how the cerebellum worked. She pointed to the small dark are on the cerebellum. Ginny then saw it, and wasn't sure how she had missed it. Then again she wasn't a pro healer. She had never been able to finish her training with Madame Pomfrey, but what she had learned helped save the countless lives of the Order. The Order who later betrayed her. She glowered at the thought mentally. Those traitors.

"I will want to admit a strengthening potion," Kora said, while changing the diagram to Draco's vitals. "And another blood replenishing potion, as his blood count is slightly low."

Kora asked Draco to sit up on his bed, and she began to examine the job Ginny had done on his head.

"You did a great job on regrowing the bone," Kora muttered, while changing the vitals to a diagram of his bone growth in his head.

"I will want to grow another layer of skin, as this one is slightly thin, although very well done and effective. But his brain will be safer this way." She glance at Ginny as though she was afraid she had offended the girl.

Kora seemed to be back to the healer she had met, and Ginny was suspicious of what had caused this. She seemed to be making up for something, but what? She was going to question her relentlessly to find out just what the bloody hell was going on.

Kora took out quite a few bottles of potion. Ginny recognized one as the vitamin potion she had been given by Kora at one point it time. Draco obediently drank all of the potions and let out a small sigh as colour returned to his face.

Kora took out her wand and slowly grew another layer of skin over Draco's head. She also expertly regrew Draco's hair in certain places.

Kora looked over her work, carefully identifying any issues that might have been there and finding none.

"I am finished. I want Draco to sleep for a bit," Kora said, and she went to exit the room to allow Draco to do just that.

Ginny followed, and as soon as they were out of the room and slightly down the hall so as not to be overheard by Draco, she grabbed the woman's arm roughly, forcing her to turn around in look her in the eye. Ginny slammed Kora against the wall, pushing her body against the petite woman. She understood Kora's heavy breathing was fear. After all, Ginny could tell her eyes were blazing.

"What the fuck is going on?" Ginny demanded, letting the swear word she rarely used slip out.

"What do you mean? I don't understand," Kora whispered as she closed her eyes while Ginny forced her body against hers in a way that suggested she wouldn't be afraid to hurt the girl physically.

"One day you panic and have no clue what you are doing. Now you seem to be in perfect control. Explain yourself!" Ginny hissed, her hands on the wall on either side of Kora's head. Kora whimpered in fear.

"I've been watching people die constantly. The Order is no longer what it was. They are using potions that cause the person's blood to boil in their body, effectively causing them to burn to death from the inside. I am still working on an antidote, but it is quite… hard. It is difficult to see these people whom I have become fond of die in my arms. You see Ginny, you only know that your family died. You didn't watch it happen. I have watched so many people die."

Ginny thought on this for awhile, thinking hard about what Kora had said, and found herself coming to understand the other woman's predicament. But she needed to understand more.

"How have you grown fond of me?"

"You are fierce, fiery, and independent as you can be in this situation. I admire you. To see you in the condition you were… I was scared."

Ginny found this answer to be acceptable, but she still needed to know more.

"What is going on with the Order? How could they do that?"

Kora's eyes fluttered as she answered, "Ernie McMillan is in charge now. He is ruthless. He doesn't hold the values Potter did. He is determined to kill all the Death Eaters if he must, or to torture them for information. He doesn't believe there any more horcruxes. He thinks it is a lie. Maybe he is right, maybe he is wrong. We do not know. But one thing is certain. He is determined to kill anyone he must in order to reach the Dark Lord and kill him."

Ginny growled, sending shivers through Kora's body.

"How dare he! That bastard!"

Kora nodded in agreement, and then opened her eyes to Ginny.

"The Dark Lord plans on coming to see you today. He wishes to talk privately with you. Be calm, or Draco may die."

Ginny nodded, then let Kora go.

"Bellatrix will be here tomorrow upon the Dark Lord's wishes. They will train you in combat with a special wand. Be careful."

At this Kora left, leaving Ginny very confused. She couldn't understand why they would want to train her. Weren't they afraid that she would fight and kill them? Or did this have to do with Tom's plan? She would find out tonight. For now, she needed to meditate so she could bear being alone with him. For some reason, she knew this wouldn't be as hard as before. He didn't wish to hurt her, but most likely to use her in some way. She was important to them and their cause. She had to be strong and fight on.

Lucius had appealed to the Dark Lord, asking him to grant them an audience, as Ginny wished to speak to him. She thought this was extreme, but remembered what Kora said about the Dark Lord wishing to speak to her privately.

Ginny sat at the dining room table, eating some sorbet to calm her down. This had been a rare treat in her childhood, as her parents could rarely afford it. But when they could, she enjoyed every bit, and often licked the bowl clean, to her parents' amusement. Thinking of them brought a sharp pain to her heart. But she sent a silent plea to them to watch over her. She didn't know what Tom had planned, but even if no one told her, she knew he wanted her for some sort of plan beyond what he originally said.

As the Tom entered the room, his cloak billowing, Ginny had a hard time hiding the look of hatred that crossed her face. He looked slightly older than he had when he came out of the diary. Ginny had a hard time comprehending that he would never grow old. Why would anyone want that existence?

Tom stared directly into her eyes, and she gave a shudder of fear. But the fear was cut by the determination to make sure this monster didn't have a reason to hurt Draco again.

"Ginevra, I heard you requested an audience with me?" he asked in an amused voice. But wasn't he always amused?

"Yes… Tom, I did." She knew calling him Tom wasn't a good idea, but he would always be Tom to her. She had come to accept that.

He took it in stride, as though he had expected nothing less from her. He probably knew and understood, in some weird convoluted way. After all, hadn't he always understood her?

Ginny rose, determined to not give in to the fear. She could be bigger than that. She could stand up to the man who was responsible for all those deaths. He wasn't going to harm her.

As that thought crossed her mind, Tom looked slightly startled, as though he had been reading her mind to see her reaction, and didn't expect her to know that.

Ginny smiled as he turned away to gain his composure. She was essential, that much she now knew. She no longer had a reason to fear him, although this was easier said than done.

"I wish to speak to Ginevra in private. Perhaps the garden?" Though this was put as a question, she knew it was a demand. He always got what he wanted. Where was the challenge in that? The fulfillment from success?

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius spoke quietly, leading the way to the vast garden that spun a few acres.

Ginny followed behind Tom, not allowing herself to be watched as though she were prey. If Edward had been there, he would have told her that the sudden burst of bravery came from her stepping slowly into the role of her destiny. Ginny would have questioned him as to what that meant, and he would have squirmed under her scrutinizing gaze, as he then told her she was being blessed by the higher beings, as the Goddess and the God (who were one in the same) knew she was the one to finish him.

However, there was no time to talk to Edward, and Ginny wondered at her bravery only slightly. Her mind was on continuing to stay strong, not knowing that this wasn't going to be a problem.

"This was Ginevra. Lucius, we are fine from here," Tom said, brushing the Malfoy off, and taking command of the situation as always.

Ginny wondered at why he was being so polite. Was he trying to impress?

He led her farther and farther away from the manor, to the edge of the property.

"I have been waiting a long time to talk to you privately, little Ginny Weasley." He kept his back to her for the moment being.

"I'm not so little anymore, Tom." Ginny arched her eyebrow as he turned around to survey her, looking her up and down in way that made her feel very naked. Ginny stood her ground. To cross her arms would show weakness, even if a part of her wanted to do just that.

"No, you aren't anymore. Now you are worthy of your name, Ginevra. It means fair." Tom smirked.

"Or purification in Italian herb lore. I think that one fits me better. Don't you?"

The smirk fell from Tom's face.

"You do have an uncanny ability to purify everything around you, unfortunately. You have become more trouble than you seem to be worth lately. Perhaps you are no longer useful." Tom attempted to glower in an intimidating way, but Ginny merely laughed, as the slightly chilly November air whipped her hair around her head.

"We both know you need me for whatever you have up your sleep, no matter how much trouble I may be. You will not be getting rid of me anytime soon, and," Ginny plowed on, feeling slightly braver at the look on Tom's face, "you will not be getting rid of Draco if you want me to keep myself alive. If he comes home hurt one more time, you may find I will cease to exist. After all, Malfoy Manor holds every poison imaginable."

Ginny smirked as she felt the hatred rolling off Tom. She was winning, and he hated it. But he had taught her all she knew. She usually blocked the memories out, but in this instance, she would use them to her advantage.

"You wouldn't!" he hissed at her.

Ginny merely quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, wouldn't I? Are you sure of that? After what you and your cause have done to my friends and family, death would be a blessed relief. Do not assume you know me any longer, Tom. You may not have changed, but I have."

Dusk was setting rapidly, and the moon was rising in the sky. Ginny raised her eyes to stare at the stars, truly transfixed by such a beautiful sight.

"I wish to go back to the Burrow and collect a few family heirlooms. I require someone to go with me. I would prefer Lucius, but I do understand that this is a choice up to you."

Tom surveyed her. He was angry, but at the same time, he knew he needed to keep her happy in some way.

"Fine," he spat, "you will take Severus. I would accompany you myself, but I am far too busy with my plans. This will be your only chance to go to your house. I suggest you make good use of it."

Ginny inclined her head.

"Indeed, I will. Thank you." She turned to walk away and was pulled to him.

Tom crushed his mouth against hers momentarily, as though part of him had been waiting to do it all night.

"Do not try me again, little Ginny. I will not be so forgiving next time."

With that, he left, leaving Ginny thoroughly confused and deciding to question Edward.

It took Ginny until midnight to find Edward snoozing in a portrait by the library, as though he were waiting for her to come find him, and indeed, he had been.

"Wake up!" Ginny commanded, a tad bit louder than she had meant to, as Edward jerked awake, fell, and hit his head rather hard. Ginny cringed and muttered an apology.

"Why did Tom kiss me?"

"Have you not figured that out on your own? You are the only woman to ever challenge him, and he cannot simply do away with you. You are a challenge of astronomical proportions. You see, he will need you for the rest of your life, as you have an insane amount of power." Edward seemed to be excited as he spoke.

"What does he need me for? I hear drum beats. War drum beats. But… I don't know what they mean." Ginny chewed her lip.

"He wishes to wage war over heaven. The God and Goddess, the one in the same, are the only ones who can stop him. What he doesn't know is that your power comes directly from them. All he feels is it radiating off of you. But he never has understood much." Edward shook his head sadly.

"So how do I destroy him? It seems impossible. If Harry, with all the information he had, couldn't win against him, how am I supposed to?" Ginny sighed exasperatedly.

"You do not fight him outright. That is foolish. Your role is very complicated. You are the essence of purification, just as your name suggests. Everything you touch will feel it, and be healed over time. Take Draco, for instance. He is a better person from being around you. Over time, you will know what to do. The deities will guide you. Trust in them. If you ignore them, you will fail, and will spend your life imprisoned." Edward gave her a solemn look.

"Should I tell Draco?" she whispered.

"Yes, as what you will be required to do will need his understanding. This could tear you apart, or bind you two even more tightly. This will depend on your level of communication."

"And what about the attacker?"

"All will be revealed soon. You must stay strong, though. This will not be an easy thing to deal with." Edward gave her a sad look, and Ginny worried at this. However, she knew he would give her no more information on this.

Ginny walked away to find Draco and explain all this to him, remembering what Edward had said about communication being key. She didn't want to lose this man, but something told her she would have to eventually pause their relationship for everyone's sake. But no matter what, she knew she would never stop loving this man before her.


End file.
